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HISTOEICAL SKETCH 



OP 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 



■ y 



By W. C. WHITFORD, A. M., 

President of JMilton College, 



Prepared in compliance with the invitation of the Superintendent of Public 
Instruction of Wisconsin, for the National Centennial of 1876, 



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MADISON, WIS.: 

ATWOOD & CULVER, 

Printers and Siereotypers. 
1876. 



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PREFACE. 



The object of this work is to present to the National 
Centennial of our country, for 1876, an account of the 
origin and development of the educational system in 
Wisconsin. Though the state is comparatively young, 
it has taken an advanced position in fostering its public 
schools and its state institutions of learning. The 
academies and denominational colleges, while not im- 
mediately connected with our educational system, have 
performed valuable work for the state. 

The school system has been traced to its sources in 
the earliest movements in Wisconsin; and the succes- 
sive stages of its growth, during the territorial govern- 
ment and under the state organization, have been care- 
fully noticed. The materials of this history have been 
obtained from documents issued by the different state 
departments, from an examination of many of the 
places mentioned, from interviews and correspondence 
with the early pioneers, and from the personal recollec- 
tions of the author. 



t) PEEFACE. 

As sketches of the history of the normal schools and 
the denominational colleges have been furnished in other 
forms for the Centennial, only a brief review of the 
beginning and progress of these institutions has here 
been introduced. 

To the work there have been added, in the appendix, 
brief views of the operations of the State Historical 
Society, by Prof. James D. Butler, and of the Academy 
of Sciences, Arts and Letters, by Prof. John E. Davies. 

W. C. WHITFORD. 
Milton, Wis., May 8, 1876. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I 

SCHOOLS PREVIOUS TO THE ORGANIZATION OP THE TERRITORY. 

I. French Missionaries and Traders, ... 9 

II. Military Posts, ..... 11 

III. Schools for Indian Children, - - - - 14 

IV. Lead District, - . . . - 16 

V. Earliest Eastern Settlers, .... 19 

CHAPTER II. 

SCHOOL SYSTEM UNDER THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT. 

I. Beginning of the School System, - - .22 

II. Legislative Action, ..... 23 

III. School Laws, ...... 26 

IV. Action Preliminary to the Constitutional Conventions, 28 
V. Action of the Constitutional Conventions, - 31 

VI. Action Subsequent to the Conventions, . - 33 

CHAPTER III. 

PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM UNDER THE STATE GOVERNMENT. 

I. Common School Fund, .... - 35 

II. State Supervision, ... - - 40 

III. Town, County, and City Supervision, . - - 51 

IV. District System, ..... 59 

V. Graded Schools, 65 



8 COKTENTS. 

CHAPTER IV. 

STATE INSTITUTIONS OF EDUCATION. 

I. Sources of their Support, - - - - 69 

II. State University, ..... 72 

III. Normal Schools, ---... 79 

IV. Charitable Schools, - ... - 84 

CHAPTER V. 

PRIVATE AND DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS. 

I, Uniocorporated Private Schools, - - - 9& 

II. Incorporated Academies, . . . . 98 

II. Denominational Colleges, .... 101 

CHAPTER VI. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

1. Teacliers' Institutes, ..... 105 

II. State Teachers' Association, - - - 107 

III. Journal of Education, . - . - - 109 

APPENDIX. 

Wisconsin State Historical Society, - - 113 

"Wisconsin Academy op Sciences, Arts and Letters, 119^ 



HISTOEICAL SKETCH 



OP 



EDUCATION m WISCONSIN. 



CHAPTER I. 

SCHOOLS PREVIOUS TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE 
TERRITORY. 

The earliest schools in Wisconsin had their ori.o^in in 
five different movements within the state. The first 
was the operations of the French missionaries and trad- 
ers; the second, the establishment of military posts by 
our government; the third, the missionary labors to 
educate Indian children; the fourth, the discovery and 
the first working of the lead mines; and the fifth, the 
occupancy of large portions of the state b}' eastern set- 
tlers, just after the Black Hawk war. The systems of 
education introduced by these movements were, as 
might be judged, peculiar in many respects, and inde- 
pendent of each other. 

I. FREXCH MISSIOISrARIES AND TRADERS. 

The first permanent settlement in the state was made 
in 1745, at Green Bay. The French Jesuits had sus- 
2 



10 HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF 

tainecl at times, in the previous seventy-five years, mis- 
sionary stations at La Pointe, De Pere, and Prairie du 
Chien. They were joined by other Frenchmen, who 
lived as hunters, trappers, and adventurers. In other 
localities, schools were held at an early day by mission- 
aries; but in this state, no mission school was formed in 
the last century at any of the French posts. The he- 
roic and self-denying disciples of Loyola, and some of 
the first settlers at the trading stations, were men of 
considerable culture. Augustin De Langlade and his 
son Charles, the founders of the colony at Green Bay, 
were educated, the former in France, and the latter at 
Mackinaw. Nicholas Boilvin and Joseph Rolette, resi- 
dents at Prairie du Chien subsequent to 1780, were care- 
fully trained for business or for the Catholic church. 
A few of the most intelligent and wealthy families in 
these settlements sent their children to Quebec, Mon- 
treal, Detroit, and St. Louis to acquire either an English 
or a French education. The sons of an early settler at 
La Pointe attended a school in Canada. 

In some cases, private instruction was given in the 
families of the French colonists. The first school held 
in the state, of which we gain any information, was con- 
nected with the family of Pierre Grignon, who married 
a daughter of Charles De Langlade, and resided at 
Green Bay. This was in 1791; and tbe children of 
Mr. Grignon, both sons and daughters, were taught 
the simple elements, without doubt, in the Fi-ench lan- 
guage. Their teacher was James Porlier, who may be 
regarded as the first school-master in the state. He was 
educated in the Catholic Seminary at Montreal, and 
emigrated to Green Bay in the same year he taught. 



• EDUCATION IK WISCONSIN. H 

He was of medium size, light complexion, a little bald 
in after life, very mild, and invariably pleasant to both 
friends and strangers. He was highly esteemed; and 
filled, during the forty-eight years of his residence in 
the state, the offices of Captain of the Militia, County 
Commissioner, Chief Justice of Brown county, and 
Judge of Probate. Before 1820, schools were kept, in 
all probability, in some families at Prairie du Chien. In 
1824, Joseph Rolette, a merchant in the place, engaged 
Daniel Curtis, a cashiered captain in the American 
army, to instruct his children in the English language. 
Some of his neighbors, it seems, patronized the school. 
A young lady. Miss Crawford, who afterwards married 
Wm. Mitchell, of Green Bay, was raised at this place, 
obtained at home a good common education, and learned 
to speak English and French fluently. She assisted 
Mrs. J. H. Lockwood, in 1825, in teaching here the first 
Sunday-school in the state. 

II. MILITARY POSTS. 

Green Bay and Prairie du Chien were made military 
posts in 1816, and were both occupied by American 
troops. In the same year, Fort Crawford was built at 
Prairie du Chien; and in the following year, Fort How- 
ard at Green Bay. Fort Winnebago, near where Port- 
age City now stands, was erected and supplied with a 
garrison in 1828. Soon after these forts were estab- 
lished, " settlers from the states," as they were then 
called, began to locate in their vicinity. At these forts 
were conducted what were termed "post schools." 
They were und«r the direction of the commanders of 
the garrisons, and furnished instruction for the children 



12 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

• 

of the officers, soldiers, and prominent citizens residing 
near the forts. Usually the chaplains had charge of the 
schools, though other persons were sometimes engaged. 
In 1817, a sergeant by the name of Reeseden, a man of 
character and of a good education, taught in the fort at 
Prairie du Chien; and afterwards, for many years, other 
noncommissioned officers performed the same duty, 
being detailed for that Avork, and received fifteen cents 
per day above their regular army wages of $5.00 a 
month. J About the year 1821, a common English 
school was opened in connection with the fort at Green 
Bay, and was taught b}^ a discharged soldier, in a school- 
house erected just outside the walls of the garrison. 
The school is mentioned as being held in 1832; and it 
was sustained from time to time as long as the fort was 
occupied by the United States troops. Rev. Richard F. 
Cadle, chaplain at this post after 1832, conducted this 
school for some time. In 1836, he moved to Prairie du 
Chien, and filled the same position at Fort Crawford for 
five years. Major John Green, commanding officer at 
Fort Winnebago, engaged, in 1835, Miss Eliza Haight, 
as governess in his family; and he allowed the children 
of the other officers at ihe post to attend the private 
school, in which there were in all about a dozen pupils. 
In the spring of 1810, Rev. S. P. Keyes became chap- 
lain and school-master at this fort; and he instructed 
about twenty children, some of whom were over twelve 
years of age. 

As a result of both these private and post schools, 
other means for the instruction of the children were em- 
ployed at Green Bay and Prairie du Chien, In 1824, 
Daniel Curtis, who, it seems, left the latter place that 



EDUCATIO>r IX WISCONSIN. 13 

year, taught in a log- school-house about two miles from 
Green Ba3^ He remained here for two years, and others 
conducted the school for years after he retired. About 
the year 1828, a log school-house was built by subscrip- 
tion at Shanty Town; and a young lady, Miss Caroline 
Russell, from the east, was employed as teacher by the 
American families, five in number, residing in the neigh- 
borhood. Afterwards, Miss Frances Sears taught in the 
same place. Both were well qualified to hear classes in 
reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, and 
geography, the only branches introduced. The pupils 
were generally young, of both sexes, and mostly chil- 
dren of American parentage. The schools were sup- 
ported by subscription, paid by the parents of the schol- 
ars. About the year 1833, a school was started in the 
north ward of Green Bay, and was kepc by Mr. Wil- 
liam White, in a frame school-house, erected for that 
purpose. In addition to the common rudiments, some 
of the higher English studies, in connection with the 
Latin language, were taught. In 1832, a school was 
established at De Pere, six miles up the Fox river, and 
the seat of the ancient French mission. Miss Sears is 
again mentioned as teaching at Green Bay in 1836, in 
a frame school-house, twenty-four by thirty feet in size, 
and as having thirty-five pupils. A portion of this 
house is still standing. 

At Prairie du Chien similar schools must be noticed. 
Sergeant Reeseden, who taught here the post school for 
a short time, had charge subsequently of a private school 
for eight or nine months, outside of the Fort. A gen- 
tleman from Canada, by the name of Giason, succeeded 
him, and gave instruction in both the English and 



14 HISTOKICAL SKETCH OF 

French languages. Mr. Curtis, who taught here in Mr. 
Rolette's family, conducted afterwards a select school of 
twenty to thirty scholars; and he organized classes in 
the higher branches. In 1830 or 1831, Judge James T. 
Mills, of Grant county, had the charge of a private 
scliool. In 1832, a student of divinity in the Presbyte- 
rian church taught here for six months. A Miss Kirby, 
from New York, held, in 1836, an infant school of twenty 
pupils; and some one collected thirty scholars of a 
higher grade into a select school. Between 1840 and 
1850, a private school of an excellent character, Avas 
conducted most of the time by Henry Boyer, a dis- 
charged soldier in Napoleon's army. 

III. SCHOOLS FOR INDIAN CHILDEEN. 

Subsequent to the year 1816, the time when our gov- 
ernment assumed the control of this section of the west, 
exertions were made by various religious societies, and 
by the government itself, to educate and Christianize 
the Indian population. Rev. Eleazer Williams, who 
became afterwards somewhat famous as the p)"etended 
Dauphin of France, was in the employ of the Episcopal 
Missionary Society of this country; and he conceived 
the idea, in 1820, of colonizing, at Green Bay, the Six 
Nations of New York. In 1823, he started, in connec- 
tion with the mission among the Indians, a school of 
fifty white and half-breed children, on the west side of 
Fox river, opposite Shanty Town. It was for several 
years under the charge of Hon. A. G. Ellis, now of Stev- 
ens Point. In 1827, the Missionary Society decided to 
erect extensive buildings for a boarding school in which 
they might support and educate '' children of full or 



EDUCATIO]Sr IN WISCONSIN". 15 

mixed Indian blood." Rev. Richard F. Cadle, already 
mentioned, was selected to conduct the enterprise. He 
was a man of energy, culture, and Christian worth; and 
he labored devotedl}', for five j'ears, as a missionary and 
teacher at Green Bay, and in its vicinity. Opposed and 
persecuted in his self-denying work, he was beloved by 
his pupils, and held in the highest esteem by his em- 
ployers and the better class of citizens. The buildings 
erected for the school were situated on an elevated piece 
of ground, which overlooks the beautiful Fox river. 
Their cost was 19,000. The principal edifice was thirty 
by ninety feet, and two stories high. Two wings were 
attached, one twenty by thirty feet, the other twenty 
by eighty. In them the children were not only in- 
structed, but lodged and supplied with food. The school 
seemed at first decidedly successful. It was attended, 
in 1831, by one hundred and twenty-nine pupils from 
ten different tribes. They were received between the 
ages of four and fourteen years, and were taught habits 
of industry, a good English education, and the elements 
of the Christian religion. A portion of the time seven 
teachers were emploj^ed. This enterprise sustained 
branch missions among the Oneidas at Duck creek, and 
the Menomonees at Neenah, Though large amounts of 
money were expended in maintaining the school, it 
gradually diminished in size, and closed its operations, 
after sixteen years of trial, with only thirty-six pupils. 
However the hopes of those who sustained this mission- 
ary effort may have been disappointed, the school itself 
exerted a strong influence upon the other educational 
movements in its vicinity. 

Near Green Bay, a Catholic mission school was organ- 



16 • HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

ized, ill 1S30, by Rev. Samuel Mazzuclielli, an Italian 
priest. He was zealous, well educated, and talented; 
and toiled for four years with unremitting ardor, though 
not very successful in his enterprise. This work was 
an attempt to revive at this place the old missionary 
operations of the Jesuits among the Indians. The 
school was aided by the government, and by the Me- 
nomonee tribe among whom it was held. 

In a treaty with the Winnebagoes, in 1832, the 
United States agreed to maintain, for twenty-seven 
years, a school at or near Prairie du Chien, for the edu- 
cation and support of such children of the tribe as should 
be sent voluntaril}' to it. Two or more teachers were 
to conduct the school at an annual cost not to exceed 
three thousand dollars. It was started on the Yellow 
river in Iowa, and kept there for nearly two years. It 
was afterwards moved to the Tui-key river, in the same 
state, where suitable buildings were erected, and Rev. 
David Lowry, of the Presbyterian church, took charge 
of the school. It did not meet the expectations of the 
government, though Mr. Lowry, an enterprising and ac- 
complished man, remained among the Winnebagoes as 
their agent until 1818. 

IV. THE LEAD DISTRICT. 

Some slight attempts to occupy and work portions of 
the lead mines were made as early as 1822; but the hos- 
tility of the Indians living in that region prevented any 
further operations. They were exceedingly jealous of 
the Americans, whom they would not even allow to 
examine their country. By 1827, an excitement in re- 
gard to the mines, like the more recent gold fever, pre- 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. IT 

vailed in certain portions of the states in the East and 
South. Hundreds rushed to the district, Avhich, in a 
short time, was computed to hohl five thousand inhabi- 
tants. The miners came principally from the central, 
western, and southern states, invited and protected by 
the government. 

Checked for a season by the alarm which grew out of 
what is called the '' Winnebago War," and by the 
actual hostilities of the Black Hawk contest in 1832, 
the emigrants afterwards spread rapidl}^ over the whole 
section; and when Wisconsin became a territory by 
itself, in 1836, the lead region had a very large majority 
of the population. 

Prominent villages were located and built up near 
valuable openings in the mines, as Mineral Point, 
Platteville, Shullsburg, Dodgeville, Cassville, Gratiots 
Grove, and others. Several of the most useful citizens 
of the state arrived with the miners. There must be 
mentioned as among these. Gov. Dodge, whose messages 
subsequently showed that he tmgaged with the liveliest 
interest in the establishment of public schools; Hon. 
John H. Rountree, a prominent citizen of Grant county, 
and who aided materially in opening the first schools in 
the southwestern part of the state, including Platteville 
Academy, now a state normal school; Gen. Charles 
Bracken, who first introduced in the territorial legisla- 
ture a bill to create a common school fand; and Col. 
Daniel M. Parkinson, who was chairman of the assem- 
bly committee which made the earliest inquiries into 
the expediency of establishing a common school system 
in the state. 

At Mineral Point, in July, 1830, was built the first 



18 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

^chool-liouse in the lead district. It was construeted of 
logs, and when not occupied by the school, it furnished 
also accommodations in its single room for a justice's 
court, and for religious meetings. In August of the 
year in which it was erected, a select school was opened 
in it by Mr. Henry Boyer, who taught afterwards, as 
we have already shown, at Prairie du Cliien. He re- 
mained there three terms, and charged the small chil- 
dren two dollars and a half for their tuition, and the 
larger ones three and a half. The house soon passed 
into the hands of the Presbyterian Church, and was 
torn down, with most of the other buildings of the 
place, to bo used in the construction of a fort, in 1832, 
the time of the Black Hawk War. Another house was 
put up in 1831, on High street, and a school was kept 
in it for a year by the Rev. Mr. Campbell, and his 
daughter, the first lady teacher of the place. In 1836, 
a school of fifty scholars, probably sustained by a tax, 
was taught in the Methodist log meeting-house, it is 
believed, by a Mr. Parker and his daughter. 

The second school in the mineral district was started 
at Platteville in the spring of 1831. A school-house 
had been erected the year previous in the southwestern 
part of the vilhige. It was eighteen by twenty feet, 
one story, made of hewn logs, well put together. The 
school was supported by subscription, had twelve or 
fourteen pupils, and was taught by Samuel Huntington, 
an experienced school-master. He seems to have been 
at the time an adventurer, and employed his time and 
that of his scholars largely in hunting for veins of lead 
in the vicinity. The school was afterwards moved into 
the central portion of the village; and it was taught, in 
1836, by Dr. A. T. Locey, who had forty pupils. 



EDUCATION IlSr WISCONSIN". 19 

Though prominent men in this district engaged sub- 
sequently with much earnestness in developing the com- 
mon school interests of the state, yet the cause of educa- 
tion made feeble progress in the beginning among the 
miners. Their occupation did not tend toward establish- 
ing schools; they migrated from place to place, as old 
diggings failed, or as new ones were thought to be more 
profitable, and they held no title to the soil for several 
years. Besides, the population were largely from sec- 
tions of our country where public schools had not been 
fostered, and generally they knew very little of their 
worth. Still they gradually came to feel the need of an 
education for their children; and, by 1836, a few other 
private schools, supported as those we have mentioned, 
were probably established. 

Y. THE EARLIEST EASTERN SETTLERS. 

The Black Hawk War was the source of inestimable 
advantage to the state, in directing public attention in 
the east to large portions of our territoiy, unoccupied 
and but slightly explored. The glowing accounts of the 
rich country, published in the newspapers, and carried 
back by soldiers in the army to their friends, induced the 
speedy emigration to our borders of thousands of intelli- 
gent, hardy, and enterprising people from New England 
and the middle states. Settlements were made along the 
lake shore from 1831 to 1836; and in the latter year, in 
a few portions of the fertile Rock river valley, and 
around Winnebago lake. In the country between these 
localities and the shore of Lake Michigan, a number of 
places were selected and occupied; and these have grown 
into flourishing villages or small cities. The financial 



20 HISTOKICAL SKETCH OF 

revulsion of 1836, ruining hundreds of families, com- 
pelled them to seek new homes and build up new for- 
tunes on our prairies and by the side of our waters. 

Wherever even a few of the eastern emigrants settled 
together in the state, there they started at once a school . 
They were carrying out the inspirations of their former 
homes, and were laying, with the eye of prophecy, the 
sure foundation of a glorious commonwealth. 

In 1838, there were eight small private schools in the 
state, and two hundred and seventy-five pupils attend- 
ing them, according to the statement of Rev. S. A. 
Dwinnell, of Reedsburg, an early pioneer. The popu- 
lation was estimated to be about 9,000, exclusive of In- 
dians. We have ali-eady mentioned the schools at 
Green Bay, Prairie du Chien, and in the mineral region. 
There were other private schools at Kenosha, Milwau- 
kee, and Sheboygan; these were formed by the eastern 
settlers. The one at Kenosha Avas opened in December, 
the year previous, by Rev. Jason Lothrop, a Baptist 
minister, and well educated, with about thirt}' scholars, 
in a log school-house. The first frame house erected 
soon afterwards in the city, was occupied by a school. 
The first school in Milwaukee was taught in the win- 
ter of 1835-36, by David Worthington, afterwards a 
Methodist minister, in a private building owned by 
Samuel Brown, on East Water street, one block south 
of Wisconsin street. In the fall following, the first 
public school was organized by law in the bounds of 
the state. This was the onl}-- one established under the 
school laws of the Michigan Territory, as such; and it 
was conducted by Edward West, now of Appleton, in a 
framed school-house, used at present as a store, and 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 21 

standing in the Second Ward of the city, and known 
as No. 871, Third street. At Sheboygan, in the winter 
following, F. M. Rublee taught the first school in the 
county, in a private room, with only a few scholars. 
These schools, except the one organized in Milwaukee, 
were supported by subscription. 

At the close of this period, there had not been laid 
the foundation of any academy or college in the state. 
During nearly a half century, the schools, with a sin- 
gle exception, had been started and maintained by the 
influence of the family, our religion, the military power, 
and the combined efforts of private individuals in sev- 
eral localities. 



22 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 



CHAPTER IT. 

SCHOOL SYSTEM UNDER THE TERRITORIAL GOV- 
ERNMENT. 

I. BEGINNING OP THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Wisconsin was attached to Michigan Territory from 
1818 to 1836; and from 1836 to 1848, it was a territory 
for a short time in connection with Iowa, and afterwards 
by itself. In this latter .period, tens of thousands of 
the eastern settlers found homes in the portions of the 
state already occupied. This tide of the incoming pop- 
ulation also flowed down the valley of the Wisconsin 
river, into the adjacent sections north, and last!}' up 
the Mississippi banks and along the many streams in 
the northwestern counties. In every village formed by 
this people, and on nearl_y every two miles square of 
territory settled by them, was organized either the pri- 
vate or public school. One or more persons in each 
community, noted for their intelligence or public spirit, 
first gathered the children into a school, held in a pri- 
vate dwelling or in a rude log school-house; and they 
engaged as a teacher generally some one among the set- 
tlers who had taught in the East. Very frequently the 
place for the school was the place for the Aveekly divine 
Worship. The studies and the text-books selected were 
the same as were found in the eastern common schools. 
A term of three months in the3'ear wa." usually taught. 
The teachers^ wages were low, and but a few were in- 
duced to remain long in their h' mble occupation. 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 23 

When a sufficient number of families had settled in 
the same neighborhood to support even a small public 
school, the fiimily or the private school which had been 
maintained in the place was usually abandoned. Hun- 
dreds of instances of this kind can be mentioned. In 
this way was formed the l>eginning of the school sys- 
tem, which has since, on account of its efficiency, be- 
come the pride of the state. 

II. LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 

Soon after the organization of the territory, in 1836, 
the school code of Michigan was adopted almost entire 
by the legislature. Defective as it was, and modified in 
some of its minor provisions almost every year, it con- 
tinued in force until after tlie state was formed. Since 
it required nearly a year after the adoption of our con- 
stitution, for our present system of public instruction 
to go into operation throughout the state, let us notice 
the beginning and the growth of this system in our 
legislative action from 1836 to 1819, when the present 
school law was adopted. 

The protection of the lands donated to Wisconsin by 
the United States government for school purposes, and 
the creation of a common school fund first called the 
attention of our public men to the cause of education. 
The first resolution on school matters ever introduced 
into our legislative assembly, was at the session at Bel- 
mont, in 1836, and referred to the report of a bill to 
'' prohibit persons from trespassing on the school lands 
in this territory by cutting and destroying timber." A 
memorial to congress was adopted requesting them to 
authorize the sale of the school section in each town- 



24 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

ship, and appropriate the money arising towardcreating 
a fund for the support of common schools. 

At the second session, November 7, 1837, a bill was 
passed to "regulate the sale of school lands, and to pro- 
vide for organizing, regulating, and perfecting common 
schools.'" Like the statutes of Michigan, it enforced the 
formation of schools in every town. A law had been 
enacted in Michigan, in 1827, ten years before, requir- 
ing every town having over fifty families to support 
by tax a common school; having one hundred families, 
two schools; having one hundred and fifty families, 
three schools; and so on. If this duty was neglected, 
the town was compelled to pay a fine in proportion to 
the number of the families living in it, and the fine was 
distributed among the poor districts of the county to 
aid in maintaining schools. But in Wisconsin, it was 
provided, that as soon as twenty electors should reside 
in a surveyed township, in which was the school sec- 
tion, they should elect three commissioners of common 
schools, who should hold their office three years, apply 
the proceeds of the leases of school lands to pay the 
wages of teachers in the township, lay off districts, and 
call school meetings. Each district should elect three 
directors to hold their office one year; and they should 
locate school-houses, hire teachers for at least three 
months in the year, and levy taxes for the support of 
schools. This tax was jiro rata on the attendance of 
the pupils; and the children of persons unable to pay the 
tax were kept in the school by a tax on all the inhabi- 
tants of the district. Five inspectors, the third set of 
officers, were elected annually to examine schools, and 
to inspect and license the teachers. There Avas in 



EDUCATION" IN" WISCONSIN". 25 

operation iu the territory for three years, after 1836, a 
provision in the school code of Michigan, which anthor- 
ized the governor to appoint a superintendent of com- 
mon schools, to have the oversight of the school lands, 
and to rei)ort to the legislature the condition of the 
schools. His compensation was the payment of his 
necessary expenses and $25 a year. No action seems 
to have been taken under this provision in Wisconsin. 

Ill 1839, this school law was revised and specially 
adapted to the condition of the territory. Every town 
with not less than ten families was required to become 
a school district and provide a competent teacher; and 
with more than ten families, it was to be divided into 
two or more districts. The office of town commis- 
sioners was abolished and their duties were transferred 
to the inspectors, avIio had given to them the additional 
power to take charge of the school-houses, to lease and 
protect the school lands, to listen to complaints against 
teachers and discharge incompetent ones, and to make 
returns of the number of scholars to the county com- 
missioners. It was the duty of the last named officers 
to appoint inspectors in the towns which refused or 
neglected to choose them. Trustees in each district 
might be elected, and could perform for the district the 
duties assigned to the inspectors. A teacher neglecting 
to procure a certificate could be fined fifty dollars — 
one-half to go to the informer, and the other half to 
the district in which he taught. The rate bill system 
of taxation was repealed, and a tax for building school- 
houses, or to support schools, not to exceed one-fourth 
of one per cent., was raised by the county commissioners 
on the Avhole county. 
3 



26 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

In 1840, a memorial to congress was adopted, repre- 
senting that the people were anxious to establish a 
common school system with suitable resources for its 
support. 

At neai'ly every session of the territorial legislature, a 
large number of local acts were passed, authorizing dis- 
tricts to raise money by tax to build school-houses. 
This became very annoying. 

Important amendments were made in the school law 
in 1840 and 1841, restoring the office of town commis- 
sioners, which had been dropped in the act of 1839, and 
assigning to them the duties of the inspectors; laying 
down more complete directions for forming school 
districts; making five officers in each district — the 
clerk, collector, and three trustees; restricting to male 
residents, over twenty-one years of age, the privilege of 
voting at district meetings, and requiring such voters 
to be freeholders or house holders; changing the fine of 
teachers for neglecting to procure certificates from fifty 
dollars to forfeiture of a sura not exceeding their wages ; 
authorizing certain amounts of money to be raised by 
tax in the district for building school-houses, and defin- 
ing specifically the duties of each school officer. 

III. THE SCHOOL LAWS. 

The commissioners were required to listen to appeals 
from any person aggrieved at the action of a disti'ict, 
and pass a decision thereon, which should be final. 
They made reports each year to the secretary of the 
territory, giving in detail the number of school dis- 
tricts in each town, the number of scholars and teach- 
ers, the length of time school had been maintained in 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 27 

each district, and the amount of nione}- raised by tax, 
and paid out for school purposes. A neglect of this 
duty was accompanied with heavy penalties. 

It was tlie duty of the clerk to make yearly a list of 
the heads of families in the district, and the numher of 
children in each ftimily between the ages of four and 
sixteen, and to file a copy of said list in the office of the 
clerk of the board of county commissioners, and deliver 
another to the school commissioners of the town. These 
duties were afterwards transferred to the trustees, who 
performed all official laiiors of the district, except keep- 
ing the records and collecting the taxes. They engaged 
the teachers, had the custody of the school property, 
made out the tax lists and rate bills, and met the ex- 
penses of the schools. 

The county commissioners, besides receiving the list 
of the families and of the children from each district, 
apportioned annually all moneys in the county treasury 
which had been appropriated to the common schools. 

This code of school laws remained in force, with 
some slight amendments, until the state constitution 
was adopted. During the first five years of our terri- 
torial history, so many changes were made in the pro- 
visions of the system, that great confusion was caused 
in the management of the school affairs in the town 
and in the district, and people were justly dissatisfied. 
So strong was the feeling, that no important modifica- 
tion was permitted to be introduced until the organic 
law of the state went into force in 1848, though it was 
well known that radical deficiencies existed in the 
system. So great were these, that very many of the 
schools were poorly organized, and insufficient funds 



28 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

were provided for their support. The rate bill tax or 
private subscription had to be resorted to in many dis- 
tricts to keep the schools in operation. 

IV. ACTION PRELIMINARY TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL CON- 
VENTIONS. 

Previous to the adoption of the state constitution, 
the supervisory management of the public schools was 
discussed in various portions of the state. Defects were 
pointed out and remedies were demanded. Five school 
district officers, subject to be changed each year, made 
the care of the school cumbersome and uncertain. No 
real unifoiunity or permanency in any plan whicli the 
district might adopt, could be assured. The utility of 
electing a town superintendent in place of the town 
commissioners, was considered. It was held that one 
person, with all the responsibility upon him, would be 
more efficient" than three, and give greater unity to the 
work. As early as ISil, a petition from Racine count}" 
was received by the legislature, asking for the creation 
of the office of state superintendent. Other requests 
on the same subject, from different parts of the territo- 
ry, were presented at the subsequent sessions of that 
body. In 1846, a bill passed one branch of the legisla- 
ture providing for the appointment of this officer, but 
it was lost in the other. 

It became evident, b}' 1846, that a strenuous effort 
would be made to organize a state government. Until 
this was effected, the fund accruing from the sale of 
school lands could not be received from the general 
government, nor the income of this fund be applied to- 
ward maintaining schools. The benefit of obtaining 



EDUCATIOlSr IN WISCONSIN. 29 

and using this iinraeiise fund supplied one of the main 
arguments for forming a state constitution. Gov. 
Dodge urged this subject upon the attention of the 
people in his message of 18^7, stating that they could 
then control the sale of the sixteenth section in each 
township, and enjoy its avails, together with the dona- 
tion of 500,000 acres of land by congress, and five per 
cent, of the net proceeds arising from the sale of public 
lands in the state. At once the expediency of estab- 
lishing the free system of pul)lic instruction throughout 
the state was discussed in many places, and by liberal- 
minded men. 

At Kenosha, where excellent schools had been sus- 
tained, the matter was first considered; and the first 
free school ever established in the state Avas organized 
here in 1845. The leader of this movement was Col. 
M. Frank, of that city, to whom the state, also, is more 
indebted than to any other citizen, for her excellent 
free school system. Educated in the central portion 
of New York state, and moving to Kenosha in 1837, he 
has labored devotedly to advance popular education. 
In February, 1845, as a member of the territorial legis- 
lature, he introduced a bill authorizing the legal voters 
within the corporate limits of his town to vote taxes on 
all the assessed property sufficient to support schools. 
The bill became a law; and, by one of the provisions, it 
was required to be submitted to the people before 
taking effect. The opposition to this measure was 
very strong, and there was evidently, at first, a 
majority against it. The idea of taxing large prop- 
erty holders, who had no children to educate, Avas 
denounced as arbitrary and unjust. Frequent public 



80 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

meetings were held for discussion and lectures, with a 
view of enlightening the public mind on the great duty 
to educate at the public expense. After several unsuc- 
cessful trials to procure the adoption of the act, it was 
at length accomplished, by a small majority, in the fall 
of 1845. This transaction had its due influence on 
other portions of the state. 

In the winter before the first constitutional conven- 
tion met, a common school convention was held at 
Madison, on three successive evenings, with the design 
of preparing the people for the establishment of a sys- 
tem of free schools, similar to that of Massachusetts, 
and at the earliest practicable period. It was largely at- 
tended by members of the legislature, then in session, 
and Col. Frank was elected chairman. The principal 
features to be adopted in the school laws of the state 
were considered, and the deficiencies and evils of the 
old law were pointed out. They recommended the 
legislature to appoint a general agent to travel through 
the state, lecture on education, collect statistics, exam- 
ine the condition of schools, and organize teachers' asso- 
ciations. A select committee, consisting of Rev. Lewis 
H. Loss, Levi Hubbell, M. Frank, Caleb Croswell, C. 
M. Baker, and H. M. Billings were appointed to lay 
the subject discussed by the convention before the 
legislature. They state, in their report, that '' the com- 
mittee regard it among the highest and most important 
of the duties of legislatures to provide, as far as may 
be, by suitable legislation, for the education of the 
whole people." 

Other educational conventions were held at Mineral 
Point and Milwaukee, and the principal needs of our 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 31 

public schools were carefully discussed. Committees in 
thy legislature submitted, at this time, able reports on 
the same subject. 

V. ACTION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS. 

In the constitutional convention of 1846, a resolution 
was passed early in the session for a " provision to be 
engrafted into the constitution, making it imperative 
on the legislature to provide the necessary means, by 
taxation or otherwise, for placing a common education 
within the reach of all the children of the state." An 
article was incorporated into the constitution, in most 
respects similar to the one included in our present con- 
stitution, adopted in 184:8, creating free schools. Con- 
siderable discussion arose in regard to establishing the 
office of state superintendent, some favoring the old 
system of New York, in which the secretary of state 
performed the duties of this office; but a majority were 
inclined toward the measure which was finally adopted 
in the constitution. No other provision awakened 
much interest or opposition in the body. The time of 
the convention was taken up in the consideration of 
other exciting questions, such as banks, negro suffrage, 
elective judiciary, the death penalty, and the rights of 
married women in respect to property. 

At an evening session of this convention, Hon. Henry 
Barnard, who subsequently occupied the positions of 
Chancellor of the State University and the Commis- 
sioner of the United States Bureau of Education, gave 
an address upon the advantages of supporting our pub- 
lic schools by a tax on the property of the state, and 
upon the necessity of the office of a state superintend- 



32 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

ent of the schools. He presented the outlines of a sys- 
tem of schools supervised by such an officer, which he 
drafted out in due form, to be laid before the convention. 
They were accepted, and formed afterwards, as we shall 
see, the main features of our present school law. 

In the second constitutional convention, 1848, nearly 
the same general topics were under discussion; and 
some features in the article on education, included in 
the constitution afterwards adopted, received greater at- 
tention.' We have failed to discover proofs of any oppo- 
sition to the section which provides that " district 
schools shall be free and without charge for tuition to 
all children between the ages of four and twenty years;" 
or to a section which requires a sum to be raised by tax 
annually for the support of the common schools, to the 
amount at least of one-half the income of the school 
fund. Some changes in the older constitution were 
made, not allowing the State SuperintendAit, in any in- 
stance, to be appointed instead of elected by the people; 
defining the school age of the children; omitting the 
clause which would have established town libraries; in- 
serting the provision for the maintenance of academies 
and normal schools; and providing for the founding 
and support of a state university. The actual attend- 
ance of the children upon school was not permitted to 
be the basis for the distribution of the school income. 
The expression, " tlie public schools should be equally 
free to children of all religious persuasions," was not in- 
corporated in the constitution, for the reason that there 
might be children not belonging to any religious per- 
suasion, who ought to be educated. The prohibition 
that "no book of religious doctrine or belief shall be 



EDUCATIO^r IN WISCONSIN". 33 

permitted in any public school," was not accepted, as it 
excluded the Bible. 

VI. ACTION SUBSEQUENT TO THE CONVENTIONS. 

Immediately after the adoption of the second consti- 
tution by the people, so great was the demand for rad- 
ical changes in the school code that the state legislature, 
in 1848, enacted laws which carried out in an imperfect 
form the provisions of the article on education in the con- 
stitution. At the same session of the legislature, three 
commissioners, Hon. M. Frank, Hon. Charles. S. Jor- 
dan, and Hon. Charles M. Baker, were appointed to col- 
late and revise the statutes which are familiarly known 
as those of 1849. Their labors were divided; and, 
among other portions assigned to Col. Frank, was the 
law relating to schools. This work was carefully done; 
but several features relating to public schools were in 
direct conflict with those adopted at the previous session 
of the legislature. The report of the commissioners 
was accepted, and when the present school law went 
into operation. May, 1, 1819, there were in vogue in the 
state three sets of school laws — as that of 1839 had 
not been laid aside in all portions, and time had not 
been given to supplant that of 1818, The year of 1819 
was one of great confusion, as many provisions in all 
these laws were opposed to each other. 

One of the most remarkable events in the history of 
our state was the adoption of the free school system by 
the people, and the readiness with which, in most sec- 
tions, it was put into operation. The principles in- 
volved in this S3\stem had been violently and persistently 
opposed in other states. Col. Frank says that " prior to 
the acceptance of the state constitution, whenever in 



34 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

the southeastern part of the state, the measure was in- 
troduced of supporting- the schools by taxation on the 
assessed property of the districts, it encountered the 
most determined opposition." But when voted npon, 
scarcely a prominent voice was raised against it. It is 
believed that the questions which overshadowed all 
others in the constitutional convention, so engaged the 
thoughts of the people, that the free school provision 
was almost lost sight of i]i the heated discussion. The 
reasons for the ready acquiescence are more obvious. 
The people had become somewhat accustomed to paying 
taxes in the counties to maintain schools; the income 
of what was expected to be a magnificent school fund 
would lessen very materially the burdens of taxation ; 
and the noble utterances of Govs. Dodge, Doty, Tal- 
madge, and Dewey, in their annual messages, in favor of 
the broadest education of the people, had, to some ex- 
tent, prepared them to accept the measure.* 

The opinion has prevailed quite generally that our 
school system was framed after that of the state of New 
York. This is a mistake. Our statute laws were cop- 
ied, even in their principal headings, their arrangements, 
their wordings to a great extent, and of course their 
substance, from those of Michigan. A few minor pro- 
visions were taken from the New York statutes; such 
as those creating the ofiice of Town Superintendent, 
now abolished, and the district library, which first orig- 
inated in that state. The other features differed widely 
from those of the New York system in very many re- 
spects. The principal provisions of the Michigan 
school law were thus retained among all the changes in 
our territorial career, and many Avere substantially em- 
bodied in the state constitution now in force. 



EDUCATION" IN WISCONSIN. 35 



CHAPTER III. 

PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM UNDER THE STATE GOV- 
ERNMENT. 

The school code adopted under the constitution, in 
1849, corrected many of the defects in the territorial 
school laws; and introduced, as alread}' intimated, some 
radically new measures for the organization and man- 
agement of the public schools. This code has now 
been in operation twenty-seven years; and the experi- 
ence of the state in maintaining its schools, together 
with the growth of the public school system in this 
country, has led, in that time, to the introduction of im- 
portant changes in some of the main provisions of this 
code. We shall notice these provisions and the changes 
which have been introduced in them. 

I. THE COMMON SCHOOL FUND. 

The public schools under the territorial govern- 
ment were sustained in the countrj^ districts as well 
as in the villages and cities, by county taxes, rate- 
bills, and subscriptions. No uniformity and no certainty 
existed in the support of these schools. The general 
government offered to this state, as it had to other new 
states, the grants of lands within its borders to pro- 
mote the cause of education. There would also be 
found in the state incidental but constant means for 
raising revenues, which could be applied in the most 
satisfactory manner, toward the maintenajice of public 



36 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

schools. Both these means furnished six distinct 
sources for the creation of this scliool fund, as follows: 

1. The proceeds from the sale of lands granted by 
the United States. 

2. All moneys accruing from forfeiture or escheat. 

3. All fines collected in the several counties for breach 
of the penal laws. 

4. All moneys paid for exemption from military duty. 

5. Five per cent, on the sale of government lands 
within the state. 

6. A percentage of the sales, for a time, of the swamp 
and overflowed lands. 

The fund arising from all these sources amounted, in 
1875; to 82,624,239.55. A very large portion of this 
sum was derived from the sale of the lands granted by 
the general government. These lands embraced, in the 
beginning, the sixteenth section in every township in 
the state, any grant of lands the purposes of which 
were not specified by the United States, and the five 
hundred thousand acres to which the state was entitled 
by the provisions of an act of congress passed in 1841. 
A portion of the sales of the swamp and overflowed 
lands granted to Wisconsin by the United States, Sept. 
28, 1850, has furnished an income to aid the common 
schools, during the fourteen years preceding 1870. By 
the act of 1856, three-fourths of the net proceeds of 
these lands were added to the common school fund; in 
the following year, one-fourth was converted into the 
normal school fund, leaving one-half for the school 
fund. In 1858; another fourth was taken from these 
proceeds and given to the drainage fund, which had re- 
ceived, by the law of 1856, one-fourth of the sales. 



EDUCATION IN AVISCOKSIN. 37 

From this year until 1805, only one-fourth of what is 
termed the swamp land fund, was~set apart to the com- 
mon school fund. In the latter year this was also 
taken array and given to the normal school fund, with 
the provision that one-fourth of the income of this 
fund should be transferred to the common school fund, 
Antil the annual income of the latter fund should reaclr 
1200,000. In 1870, this provision of the law was 
abolished. The percentage of the swamp land fund paid 
into the common school fund amounted, according to 
the report of 1867, to $150,697.98. The general gov- 
ernme^it paid the state, in 1850, $22,537.56, the amount 
of the five per cent, of the proceeds of the public lands 
in the state sold up to that date. Nothing more from 
this source was transferred to the state until 1865. It 
seems that the United States granted, in 1838, to the 
Rock River Canal Company, 140,000 acres of land, to 
aid them in the construction of a canal from Milwaukee 
to some point on Rock river; and the future state of 
Wisconsin was made a trustee, and held responsible for 
the proper application of the grant. The company 
abandoned the enterprise after disposing of nearly one- 
third of the land. The territory sold the remainder of 
the grant and applied the proceeds to meet its expenses, 
which congress was under obligation to liquidate. The 
general government was dissatisfied with the proceed- 
ings of the company, and refused to pay any further 
portion of the five per cent, fund until the claim against 
the state had been adjusted. By 1862, this fund not 
credited to the state amounted to $250,139.11. In 1865, 
the account was settled, not to the complete satisfac- 
tion of the state; and $101,262.33 were finally with- 



SS HISTORICAL SKETCH OP 

held b}' the United States. In the following year, an 
act was passed hy the legislature of Wisconsin levying 
annually a tax on the property of the state to pay the 
interest at seven per cent, on this sum which the gen- 
eral government had retained. Since the settlement of 
the account the state has received regularly the fund 
accruing from this source. A portion of the 500,00(? 
acres was also withheld by the United States for a time, 
and for the same reason given in the other transaction. 
The state has never received any moneys for exemp- 
tion from military duty. The sum obtained from the 
other sources is comparatively small, and has been de- 
rived as follows: 

From escheat, ....--- ?1,159 29 

Prom fines and forfeitures, 128, 620 91 



Amount, $129,780 30 



The school fund is loaned at seven per cent, interest. 
This income only can be expended in the support of the 
public schools. In 1862, it was partially invested in 
state bonds, and afterwards very largely in the state cer- 
tificates of indebtedness; and it was used to meet a por- 
tion of the debt contracted by the state during the civil 
war. In 1875, $1,559,700.00 were thus due this fund. 
A tax is raised each year by the state to pay the interest 
on this investment. Previous to 1862, the fund was 
loaned more largely than at present on mortgages on 
real estate. The loss to this fund during the first ten 
years of our state administration was a large part of 
$732,31:0. This was occasioned by the worthless securi- 
ties on which the loans to individuals were based. The 
total income from the fund, last year, was $184,624.64. 



EDUCATIOif IN WISCONSm. 39 

This was apportioned, as the school moneys have been 
each year under the constitution, among the counties in 
accordance with the number of the chiklren of school 
age reported to be in them; and it was distributed by 
the counties among the school districts. 

This income for 1875 cancelled only about one-elev- 
enth of the expenditures to which the state was subject 
that year in maintaining its public schools. The whole 
cost was $2,005,370, and ten-elevenths of it were met by 
a state tax. In 1865, the school fund income was nearly 
one-seventh of the whole expenses. From the begin- 
ning of our state history, our schools have been princi- 
pally supported by the revenues raised on the property 
of the citizens. This has been a source of disappoint- 
ment, and yet so strong has been the attachment for our 
public schools that little complaint has been heard. 
The people were led early to believe that tlie proceeds 
from the school lands would furnish an income sufficient 
to cover a large part of the current expenses of the schools. 
Superintendent Root estimated, in 1850, that the fund 
would, in a few years, reach $5,301,943.41:. Subsequent 
estimates placed it at four and three-quarters millions of 
dollars. As it is seen, the first sum is nearly double 
what has been realized. The amount of unsold lands 
belonging to this fund was reported last year to be only 
221,438 acres. The total income of the school fund 
since the state was formed .is $3,565,684.43 ; and the 
total expenditures for the public schools in that time 
are $27,396,754.00. 

The followijig table shows, for each year under the 
state government, the income of the school fund, the 
total expenditures for the public schools, the number 



40 



HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 



school children; the apportionment of this income for 
each child, and the expenditures per child: 

Table of Income and Expenditures. 



Year. 


Income of 
School Fund. 


Expenditures. 


Children of 

School Age. 


Income 
per 
Child. 


« so 

H-5 


1849 - 




.$45,080 


70, 457 




$ .64 


1850 - 


$588.00 


143,018 


92, 047 


$0.0083 


1.54 


1851 - 


46, 90S. 37 


17.5,0.50 


111,481 


..50 


1..57 


1852 - 


.53,703.K4 


176. 502 


124, 783 


.48 


1.41 


1853 - 


56. 13S.31 


175,134 


138,279 


.45 


1.26 


3854 - 


99, 749. 53 


242,117 


155.125 


.72 


1.62 


1855 - 


l'J5,906 03 


349, 730 


186, 9(50 


.805 


1.87 


1856 - 


131,813.80 


336, 692 


213,886 


.70 


1.57 


1857 - 


141,164.76 


476, 6.59 


341.. 545 


.66 


1.98 


1858 - 


181,1.5S.75 


516, 610 


264, 977 


.75 


1.9.5 


1859 - 


169,185.38 


764, 6^ 8 


278, 871 


.64 


2.38 


1800 - 


17H.917.13 


791,. 540 


28«. 984 


.64 


2.81 


1861 - 


93, 497. 93 


K54,145 


299, 783 


.32 


2.85 


1863 - 


149,891.00 


744,973 


308, 65() 


.50 


2.41 


1863 - 


13.5,735.46 


815.4.59 


330, 965 


.44 


2.54 


1864 - 


1.50,949 43 


972,834 


339, 906 


.47 


2.96 


1865 - 


151,816,34 


913,323 


339,034 


.46 


2.69 


1866 


1.53,5t;0.80 


1,07.5.573 


3.54, 517 


.45 


3.04 


1867 - 


166,633.99 


1,521,413 


371,083 


.47 


4.10 


1868 - 


173.644.33 


3, CSO. 501) 


301,7.59 


.48 


6.15 


1869 - 


176,739.87 


1,987,430 


. 376. 337 


.47 


5.28 


1870 - 


1.58,249.00 


2.094,160 


• 394, 837 


.40 


5.30 


1871 - 


1.59, .587.33 


1,932.539 


409, 198 


.39 


4.77 


1873 - - - 


163, 308. 31 


2,004,154 


418,739 


.39 


4.79 


1873 - 


181,050.13 


2,086.212 


431,086 


.42 


4.84 


1874 - 


183,097.74 


1,970.885 


43.5. 947 


.43 


4.. 52 


1875 - 


184,634.64 


2,005,370 


4.50, 304 


.41 


4.45 


Total - - 


.$3,565,684.43 


$27,396,754 









II. STATE SUPERVISION. 

The condition of the schools at the close of the terri- 
torial government showed the imperative need of a state 
supervising officer. Different S3^stems of instruction 
and management prevailed in different counties. There 
was no general and efficient method for collecting 
school statistics. There was no ultimate authority to 
determine all matters of difficulty and dispute, and to 
enforce the school laws. There were no means by 



EDUCATION IX WISCONSIN". 41 

which any information in regard to the condition and 
wants of the schools, and the opinions and labors of 
educators could be published and disseminated through- 
out the state. It was argued that some prominent offi- 
cer should travel through all the organized counties, 
visiting schools, encouraging and counseling teachers, 
organizing educational associations, and correcting, as 
far as possible, existing defects in the system and gov- 
ernment of the schools. 

• In the constitution, it was provided that "" the super- 
vision of public instruction shall be vested in a state 
superintendent, and such other officers as the legislature 
shall direct." In this way, the office became a perma- 
nent one and could not be abolished at the caprices of 
the people. The superintendent should be elected by 
the voters of the state, and should not receive over 
$1,200 salary. The legislature adopted, at the begin- 
ning, the provisions which require that he shall have 
the general oversight of the common schools, and shall 
visit throughout the state as far as practicable, inspect 
schools, address the people, communicate with teachers 
and school officers, and secure a uniformity and an im- 
provement in the instruction and discipline of the 
schools. He shall recommend the introduction of the 
most approved text-books, advise in the selection of 
works for school district libraries, and prescribe the 
legulations for the management of these libraries. He 
shall attend to the publication of the school laws, ac- 
companied with proper explanations, and distribute 
copies of these in all portions of the state. He shall 
decide upon all appeals made to him from school 
meetings and town superintendents. He shall appor- 
4 



42 HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF 

tion air school moneys distributed each year by the 
state among the towns and cities, and submit to the 
legislature an annual report, containing an abstract of 
all the reports received from the clerks of the county 
board of supervisors, giving accounts of the condition of 
the common schools and the estimates of expenditures 
of the school money, and presenting plans for the bet- 
ter organization of the schools, and such other matters 
as he may deem expedient to communicate. 

To any one who has taken the pains to examine the 
school laws of the several states of the union, it will at 
first seem somewhat surprising that the same general 
principles and methods in regard to school management 
run through them all. The reason of this uniformity 
lies in the fact that the experiments tried in one state 
are usually observed by all the others, and any improve- 
ments in vogue in one are, after a, while, adopted in 
most cases by the rest. So, when Wisconsin became a 
state, she fashioned after the prevailing system her 
mode of school supervision. Since the organization of 
the state, only a few changes have taken place in the 
supervisory departments of the state. In 1854, the 
state superintendent was authorized to appoint an as- 
sistant superintendent, who performed such duties as 
the principal prescribed, which have been usually those 
belonging to the office work, and received $800 salary. 
His compensation was afterwards raised to $1,000; in 
1865, to 11,500; and in 1869, to $1,800. In the begin- 
ning, the legislature, by special acts each year, allowed 
the traveling expenses of the state superintendent; but, 
in 1853, $600; in 1866, $1,000; and in 1869, $1,500 were 
fixed by law as the annual appropriations for this ob- 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 43 

ject. For ten years previous to 1866, ^600 were paid 
him, according- to a general statute, each 3'ear for clerk 
hire in his office; and since that time, $1,000 have been 
paid. For the first ten 5'ears, the state superintendent 
received only §1,000 salary; but since then $1,200, the 
full amount allowed by the constitution. Most of the 
time, since the State University was established, he has 
been ex officio a member of its board of regents; and, 
since the Normal School law was passed, an active re- 
gent on the board created thereby. He has also served 
as the secretary of the latter board, the past ten years, at 
a salary of $150, and more recently of $300, per year. 
He has given efficient aid to other valuable educational 
enterprises, such as the State Teachers' Association, the 
publication of educational periodicals, and teachers' in- 
stitutes held by town and county superintendents, by 
societies of teachers, and by the agents of the normal 
regents. 

Since the organization of the department of public 
instruction, ten citizens have been elected to the office 
of state superintendent. The first was Hon. Eleazer 
Root, of Waukesha, who was chosen the next j^ear after 
the first state officers were elected. The mode of choos- 
ing the superintendent had been determined by the 
legislature that year. He was nominated by the state 
central committees of both the whig and democratic 
parties, and was elected without opposition. This ac- 
tion was in deference, in some degree, to the sentiment 
which prevailed then quite extensively, that the choice 
of this officer should not be connected with the strifes 
of the political parties. The committees state, in their 
circulars, that Mr. Root is "favorably known as a firm 



44 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

friend and devoted advocate of the cause of education." 
His first term was one year in length. He was reelected, 
his second term being two years long. In his first re • 
port, issued in 1850, we learn that 46,136 children, a 
little over one-half of those in the state, were attending 
schools; that the average wages of male teachers Avere 
815.22 per month, and of female teachers, 5^6.92; that 
there were 704 school-houses, 359 being constructed of 
logs; and that there were ninety-six unincorporated 
private schools. 

During his administration, besides issuing a publica- 
tion of the school laws with notes and instructions, and 
accompanied with suitable forms for conducting pro- 
ceedings under them by the different school officers, 
and besides carrying into effect the provisions of these 
school laws, and systematizing their operations, he gave 
much attention to the formation of graded schools in 
different parts of the state. He had been at the head 
of flourishing female seminaries in Virginia and ]\Iis- 
souri, had taught over a year at Waukesha, and was a 
member of the second constitutional convention, and 
drew up the article on education which was adopted by 
that convention as a portion of the state constitution. 
As a superintendent he labored with great zeal, and 
gave a strong impulse and a wise direction to the educa- 
tional interests of the state. He served, afterwards, as 
county superintendent of schools in Fond du Lac county. 

He was succeeded, in 1852, by Hon. Azel P. Ladd, of 
Shullsburg, who, during the two years he occupied the 
office, directed his attention largely to the improvement 
of the instruction imparted in our public schools. He 
made an ineffectual attempt to modify entirely our 



EDUCATION IN WISCOKSIN". 45 

school laws. His reports were well written, and show, 
as did his labors, that he was a man of superior abilities. 
He was a physician by profession, and gave considerable 
attention to the physical comfort of the children in the 
school rooms and on the school grounds. He recom- 
mended the first list of text books for the schools, 
originated the plan of holding normal institutes in 
different counties, and mentions the large fund which 
could be created from the sale of swamp lands and ap- 
plied for the benefit of the schools. On his invitation, 
teachers from different parts of the state met at Madi- 
son, and organized the State Teachers' Association. 

Hon. H. A. Wright, of Prairie du Chien, was the 
third state superintendent. He died before the term ot 
his office expired, at Prairie du Chien, May 27, 1855, in 
the thirtieth year of his age. He was a young man of 
most agreeable manners and fine talents. A lawyer by 
profession, he had held the position of county judge, 
had edited a paper at his place of residence, and had 
been a member of both branches of the legislature. 
In the only report he presented, he deemed it a bad 
policy to introduce any important changes in the school 
law, and gave quite full directions for the improved con- 
struction of school-houses. Under his administration 
the law was enacted to supply each school district with 
a copy of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. 

Rev. A. C. Barry, of Racine, was appointed to fill out 
the term to which Judge Wright had been elected. At 
its close, he was chosen state superintendent for the 
two subsequent years. He originated the plan of pub- 
lishing the reports of other school officers in the state 
in connection with his own annual report, a plan which 



46 HISTOKICAL SKETCH OF 

has been followed, particularly since the election of 
county superintendents. He labored with considerable 
ardor to impress upon the people the value of an educa- 
tion, and to elevate the general condition of our schools. 
He advocated, the introduction of the study of the 
natural sciences into the common schools. Under him 
an act was passed authorizing him to hold teachers' in- 
stitutes, and a sum of money, not to exceed $1,000, to 
be set apart to support them. Under him the Educa- 
tional Journal became the organ of the State Teachers' 
Association; and in the last year of his service, the 
measure was adopted to aid the normal departments of 
the academies and colleges, by a portion of the income 
from the swamp land fund, 

Hon. Lyman C. Draper, of Madison, was Superin- 
tendent in the years 1858-59. He had been for many 
years the efficient Secretary of the State Historical So- 
ciety. He collected reliable statistics, showing the ac- 
tual condition of the public schools; and he organized 
the work of his department, which had been sadly neg- 
lected. The efficient system of conducting teachers' 
institutes w^as inaugurated while he w^as in office, and 
has continued in force until the present time. He pro- 
cured, during his term, the passage of an excellent law 
for establishing town school libraries. He wrote large- 
ly upon this subject in his reports, and awakened much 
interest for it in different parts of the state. After a 
fund of $88,784.78 had accumulated for the benefit of 
these libraries, the law was very unwisely repealed in 
1862, and the money transferred to the school and gen- 
eral funds. It is due to this enterprise and to this inde- 
fatigable laborer that this money should be refunded by 



EDUCATIO^' IN WISCONSIX. 47 

the state, and this law revived. If this measure had 
been put in force and prosecuted vigorously for a few 
years, it would have furnished an excellent basis for the 
introduction of the township system of managing 
schools. 

Prof. J. L. Pickard, of Platteville, succeeded Mr. 
Draper in 1860. He was elected three times to the 
office, and resigned during the first year of his third 
term. He had taught in other states; had acted as the 
popular principal of the Platteville Academy for four- 
teen years; had served as the President of the State 
Teachers' Association, and had taken a deep interest in 
the educational affairs of the state. His administration 
was vigorous and successful; he gave close attention to 
all the details of his ofiice, and infused new energy into 
all the departments of the educational work in the state. 
He visited largely the schools, and lectured on educa- 
tional topics in very many places. He assisted greatly 
in creating a sentiment which lies at the foundation of 
the normal school system in the state. He secured 
the establishment of the ofiice of county superintend- 
ents, a measure of incalculable advantage; and arranged 
for the proper examination of the teachers of the public 
schools, and the issuing of three grades of certificates to 
them. He made special efforts to enlarge school dis- 
tricts by the consolidation of smaller ones, and to in- 
spire the teachers with a greater interest and a consci- 
entious care for their work. He closed his work in an 
earnest address to the teachers on the subject of " avoid- 
ing extremes.'" Since his retirement from the office, he 
has filled the position of Superintendent of the public 
schools of Chicago. 



48 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

Col. J. G. McM^am, of Racine, was the next superin- 
tendent by appointment, and subsequently by election. 
He accepted the duties of the office, September 30, 1864. 
Chiefl}^ by his exertions, as we shall see, the first graded 
schools in the state were organized at Kenosha and 
Racine, and became widely known ; and the State 
Teachers' Association was formed eleven years previous. 
He had labored with energy and sound judgment in 
other educational movements in the state. He was an 
officer in one of the Wisconsin regiments in the civil 
war. His superintendency of schools was distinguished 
for the passage of the present normal school law, a 
measure Avhich had been demanded from our earliest 
territorial history, and which has now established the 
four normal schools in the state. He used great care in 
the inauguration of the normal school system, and 
shaped the provisions on which it is based. Under him 
two of these schools were located, 'and one of them 
placed in operation. He labored to increase the effi- 
ciency of the instruction given by the teachers in the 
district and graded schools. He became interested in 
the reorganization of the state university, and the 
incorporation in it of the agricultural department. He 
originated the practice of calling together the county 
and city superintendents to consult on subjects of 
interest to themselves and the state. To him the col- 
leges and academies began first to make their reports 
to be included in the annual report of the superin- 
tendent. 

Hon. A. J. Craig, of Palmyra, entered on the duties 
of the office at the beginning of the year 1868. He 
formerly taught in one of the schools of Milwaukee, 



EDUCATION IN" WISCONSIN". 49 

edited the Educational Journal for several years, had 
been a member of the assembly, and was assistant state 
superintendent under Prof. Pickard and Col. McMynn. 
He was reelected, but died at Madison in the middle of 
the first year of his second term, July 3, 1870. He was 
a man of ardent temperament and enlightened views on 
education. No important public measure was created 
under him. An optional township system was adopted, 
but only a very few towns accepted it. The plan of 
granting perpetual state certificates to teachers on their 
examination before a committee was put into operation 
by him in 1868. He aided specially the work performed 
by the teachers' institutes, and encouraged the formation 
of graded schools. 

Rev. Samuel Fallows, of Milwaukee, was appointed 
by Gov. Fairchild to succeed Mr. Craig. He held the 
office the balance of the term, and was elected for a 
second term. He had graduated at the state university 
wdth honor, had been in charge of the Galesville uni- 
versity for a short time, had risen to the rank of 
general in the army, and was a clergyman in the 
Methodist church. The study of the history of our 
country, and of the constitutions of Wisconsin and the 
United States was introduced into our public schools 
while he was superintendent. He secured the passage 
of the law which established normal school institutes 
four weeks in length, and which appropriates i^2,000 
yearly from the common school fund to support them. 
He brought the high schools of our villages and cities 
into closer relations with the university by their select- 
ing a course of study which is preparatory to admission 
into the university classes. The short term institutes 



50 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

were increased in number. Under him the Oshkosh 
normal school was opened, and the River Falls school 
was located. 

The present incumbent, Prof. Edward Searing, of Mil- 
ton, took the oath of office in January, 1874. He was 
reelected last j'ear, and is now serving on his second 
term. He is a graduate of the Michigan university, and 
is a most thorough scholar and successful teacher. He 
taught, for a short time, a select school at Union in 
this state; and has been connected, as professor of the 
Latin and Greek languages, for ten years with the Milton 
college/ He has published a text book on Virgil's 
jEnied, and was preparing a similar work on Homer's 
Iliad, when he was chosen state superintendent. He 
has taken very radical positions in opposing com- 
pulsory attendance upon the schools, in improving 
our graded schools so that they may perform regular 
academic work, in encouraging the f«rmation of town- 
ship high schools, in favoring the measure of supplying 
free text books for the pupils, and in advocating a change 
from the system of local taxation to a uniform state 
tax for the support of our public schools. Through his 
efforts, women have been made eligible to the different 
school offices. The general management of the business 
of his office has been marked by a clear insight into the 
character and needs of our schools, and by great earnest- 
ness and independence in the discharge of his official 
duties. 

Since 1858, only three assistant state superintendents 
have been appointed. Before that time no prominent 
educator held that office. Of Mr, Craig, we have 
already written, as occupying the position. Under Mr. 



EDUCATION" m WISCONSIN". 51 

Draper, Prof. S. H. Carpenter, of the state university, 
was chosen. Much of the vigor and the advanced views 
of his administration were due to his assistant. Rev. 
J. B. Pradt has filled the office under the last three 
state superintendents, making his term of service over 
eight years in length. He has been an instructor in 
our high schools, chief editor of the Educational Journal 
for some years, and an agent for a short time under the 
normal school regents. 

The uniformity of the annual reports of the state 
superintendent, the correctness of the school statistics, 
and the intelligent decisions on questions in dispute are 
owing materially to the practice of retaining the assist- 
ant in his position through several terms. 

III. TOWN", COUNTY, AND CITY SUPERVISION. 

Under the territorial government, as we have seen, 
the oversight of the schools in each town belonged to 
three commissioners; and the raising of funds by a 
tax, the distribution of moneys among the several towns, 
and a general supervision of the work of the town 
school officers belonged to county commissioners. 

The idea of establishing the office of town superin- 
tendent, who should be substituted for the town com- 
missioners, was strenuously advocated, as we have al- 
ready learned, before either of the constitutions of the 
state were formed. The constitution of 1848 gave to 
the legislature the power to create all such school offi- 
cers except the state superintendent, as it may deter- 
mine. The statutes adopted in the year following pro- 
vided for the election of town superintendents, but did 
not continue the office of the county commissioners. A 



52 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

large portion of their work was transferred to the coun- 
ty board of supervisors. The law for town superin- 
tendents went into effect in the spring of 18-i9, and 
arranged for their choice yearly, with the other town 
officers. It defined the duties of each superintendent 
to divide his town into a convenient number of school 
districts, and to regulate and alter thereafter the bounda- 
ries of such districts; to receive and apportion all town 
school moneys among the districts; to transmit to the 
county board of supervisors an annual report of all 
matters connected with the districts; to examine and 
license teachers in his town, and to annul their certifi- 
cates Avhen thought by himself to be desirable; and to 
visit the schools and examine into the progress of the 
pupils in learning, and into the good order of the school, 
and give his advice and direction as to the government 
thereof, and the course of studies to be pursued. He 
received 81.00 per day for every day dibtually and neces- 
sarily occupied in his Avork. 

The law creating and governing the town superin- 
tendents was in operation nearly thirteen years. During 
this time only a few minor changes were made in its 
provisions. But on the 1st of January, 1862, it was 
superseded by the measure which established the county 
superintendents. The duties of the town superintend- 
ents in examining and licensing teachers, and in visiting 
and inspecting schools were transferred to the county 
superintendents; the duties of the formation and altera- 
tion of school districts were transferred to the town su- 
pervisors; and the duties in making annual reports of 
items in regard to the districts, such as the length of 
time school has been taught, the amount of public mon- 



Ei;rcATio]sr IN WISCONSIN. 53 

eys received, all the moneys expended, the district tax, 
and the number of children taught in each, were trans- 
ferred to the town clerks. For seven years, at least, 
previous to the abolition of the town superintendency, 
serious objections were urged against its efficiency. 
Hon. A. C. Barry states, as state superintendent, in his 
annual report of 1855, that it is next to impossible to find, 
in many towns, persons who are really qualified for the 
position ; and that in most cases the duties of the office 
are not ftiithfully performed, because of the lack of in- 
terest, or from an inadequate compensation. He dis- 
cussed the effect which the creation of the office of 
county superintendent would have upon the teachers 
and the patrons of the schools. In his opinion, the 
office should not be substituted for that of the town 
superintendent, but be correlative to it. 

Superintendent Draper presented in his report for 
1858, a careful view of the workings of the county su- 
perintendent system in the state of New York. He 
urged the introduction of the same system into our 
state, as furnishing a powerful stimulus to the cause of 
popular education. The county superintendents would 
supply a more intelligent supervision of the schools, 
secure by their examinations a better grade of teachers, 
report more reliable statistics and other information in 
regard to the schools, and adjust controversies which 
would arise in the school districts. 

Hon. J. L. Pickard argued in his first annual report 
as state superintendent, in 1860, that the town system of 
superintendency had not the confidence nor the support 
of the peo pie, nor sufficient merit in itself to secure that 
confidence and support. Under it, the inspection of 



54 HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF 

tlie teachers and schools was declared to be nearly 
worthless. To his influence our schools are mainly 
indebted for the change from town to county superin- 
tendents. 

Other reasons for this change were adduced by other 
prominent educators in the state. The full time and 
the undivided energies of a man competent for the bus- 
iness could be secured. A greater interest in our schools 
would be aroused by establishing county associations 
and teachers' institutes. The measure would tend to in- 
troduce uniformity and harmony in the educational 
efforts of the state. It would aid in improving thf 
school-houses and school-furniture, in bringing about a 
better classification of both the studies and the pupils 
in our schools, in increasing the salaries and the influ- 
ence of the teachers, and in establishing the most ap- 
proved methods of teaching and discipline. 

In the November elections of 1861, the county super- 
intendent of schools was chosen in each county, and 
entered upon the duties of his office the first day of 
January following. His term of office was for two 
years, and his yearly salary was fixed by the county 
board of supervisors. At first he could be paid as low 
as $400 in some counties, and $600 in others. After- 
wards it was so arranged that he could receive from $500 
to 81,500, according to the population of the county 
in which he was serving. The supervisors of a county 
can now decide, according to the law of 1869, what 
his compensation shall be iper diem; and in that case, it 
shall " not be less than three dollars nor more than five 
dollars." The counties with more than fifteen thou- 
sand inhabitants can be divided each into two superin- 



EDUCATION" IN WISCONSIN. 55 

tenclents districts ; and several of these counties have 
adopted this provision. 

In addition to the inspection of schools, the oversight 
of the school property, and the supervision of the teach- 
ers, the county superintendent makes annual reports to 
the supervisors of the county, to the county treasurer, and 
to the state superintendent. He must conduct, at least, 
one institute each year for the instruction of teachers. 
Public examinations of the teachers, by oral or written 
questions, must be held twice a year in each inspection 
district of his county. In the same year that the office 
of county superintendent went into effect, a provision 
was adopted by the legislature authorizing each super- 
intendent to issue to teachers upon their examination 
three grades of certificates, which should show the 
branches of study they had been questioned upon, and 
their relative attainment in each branch. The third 
grade is the lowest, and embraces the examination in 
the regular common school studies; the second adds to • 
these some of the intermediate studies in the mathemat- 
ical and physical sciences; and the first adds to both 
three higher studies in the same sciences. By the law 
of 1875, women become eligible to the office of county 
superintendent; and last fall, Miss Agnes Hosford, of 
Eau Claire, Maggie M. Comstock, of Oconto, and Miss 
C. A. Magee, of Shawano, were elected; and they en- 
tered upon the duties of their position at the beginning 
of the present year. 

Several ineffectual attempts have been made in the 
legislature to repeal the law which establishes the 
county superintendency. Without doubt, there has 
been growing for several years a dissatisfaction with some 



56 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

features of the law. County boards of supervisors have 
petitioned for a return to the old system of town super- 
inteudenc}'. The need of more immediate local super- 
vision is acknowledged in very many places. Incompe- 
tent superintendents, or those who give inadequate atten- 
tion to the work have been frequently chosen. Thus 
far, the leading educators in the state have rallied, on 
every occasion, to defeat the movements to overthrow 
the present law. 

Since the sj-stem of county snperintendency was estab- 
lished, some of the most active and useful workers in the 
educational field have accepted positions nnder the sys- 
tem. Among these is Prof A. H. Weld, of River Falls, 
who some j'ears ago had charge of prominent academic 
schools in the east and the south, published some pop- 
ular English and Latin text-books, and has been a faith- 
ful member of the board of normal regents since 1S68. 
Prof. G. M. Guernsey, of Plattevill^, is now serving as 
county superintendent. He was the principal, for some 
years, of the Platteville Academy, and assisted materially 
in converting it into a state normal school. State Su- 
perintendent Root, as has already been stated, filled the 
office one term in Fond du Lac county. Hon. W. H. Chan- 
dler, of Sun Prairie, a member of both houses of the 
legislature for several terms, and now a prominent regent 
of the normal schools, accepted the snperintendency in 
Dane county for four years. Hon. Fred W. Horn, twice 
speaker of the assembly, and an influential politician, 
served a term in his county. Rev. M. Montague, who 
taught in some of the academies of the state, was elected 
in Walworth county; Prof. Robert Graham, of the Osh- 
kosh normal school, in Kenosha count}' ; Prof. A. Whit- 



EDUCATIOK IN WISCONSIN". 57 

ford, of Milton College, in Rock county; Rev. I, N. Cun- 
dall, in Fond du Lac county; Prof. D. G. Purman, of 
the Platteville normal school, in Grant county; Rev. 
A. D. Hendrickson, superintendent of the industrial 
school, in Waukesha county; Rev. A. 0. Wright, prin- 
cipal of the Fox Lake Seminary, in Juneau county; and 
Prof J. B. Parkinson, formerly of the State University, 
in La Fayette county. Of the sixty-four county super- 
intendents now in office, several have performed vigor- 
ous and satisfactory work as teachers in our public 
schools. Four presidents of the State Teachers' Asso- 
ciation have also been county superintendents, viz: 
J. K. Pardy, J. Q. Emory, 0. R. Smith, and Samuel 
Shaw, 

There has been in operation for many years in the 
state a system of sch(jol government which has been 
adopted by most of our cities and some of our large vil- 
lages, and which was not, unfortunately, for several 
years, connected with the general supervision of our 
schools. It has not, even to this day, been placed, like 
the district school, fully under the control of the state 
authority. Attention was called to this fact by Superin- 
tendent Barry in 1856. While some embarrassments 
have occurred, in consequence of this practice, to the 
other departments of educational work, yet on the whole 
it has conduced, without doubt, to the improvement of 
the schools in these cities and villages. The reports 
from their boards of education were required, until 1870, 
to be made yearly to the superintendents of the counties 
in which these cities and villages were situated. Since 
that time the reports of these boards, like those of the 
county superintendent, are sent yearly to the state super- 
5 



58 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

intendeiit, and are published in connection with his 
annual report. 

The first attempt at the formation of this independent 
system was made at Kenosha, as early as 1845. Among 
other features, it was provided that three superintend- 
ents should be elected '' to examine into the condition of 
the school at least once in every three months; to de- 
termine the qualifications of the teachers employed; to 
direct the arrangement and classification of the scholars 
in the several departments of study; to prescribe text- 
books; and to have a general supervision over the gov- 
ernment and discipline of the school." Up to that time 
no such powers had been conferred upon any other school 
ofiicer in the territory; but since 1849, they have been 
granted, in a number of instances, to the superintend- 
ents of the city schools. At present, twenty-six of our 
cities have these independent organizations. Two cities 
manage their schools under the general county and dis- 
trict systems; and this course, Superintendent Searing 
remarks, '' unquestionably redounds to the advantage of 
the whole county." Shortly after the system of graded 
schools was established at Kenosha, one person was des- 
ignated as the superintendent; and this office Mr. John 
C. Jilson has filled for a long time. The example 
of Kenosha was soon followed by Racine, Milwau- 
kee, Beloit, Janesville, Madison, Sheboygan, and Wau- 
kesha. At Racine, Rev. M. P. Kinne}^ an early and 
successful educator in the state, became city superin- 
tendent, in 1853, and served in a most efficient man- 
ner for nearly four years. In 1871, F. C. Pomeroy, died 
while in charge of the schools of Milwaukee. He had 
taught in one of the ward schools, and acted most ac- 
ceptably as superintendent for six years. 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 59 

The independent system lias been found necessai\y to 
the proper grading and classification of these schools. 
In most places, the work of examining the scholars, and 
assigning them to their classes has been transferred 
from the superintendents to the principals of the schools, 
on the ground that the latter' are better prepared to 
execute the work. 

IV. THE DISTRICT SYSTEM. 

Three kinds of organization may be included under 
this system, the primary school district, the independ- 
ent city, and the township. Under the territorial gov- 
ernment, the first had been formed in the settled por- 
tions of the state. The year the constitution went into 
effect, these districts passed under the control of the 
town superintendents, and 1,988 of them were reorgan- 
ized by them. This constitution directed the legislature 
to provide for making the district schools as nearly uni- 
form as practicable; and forbade the introduction in 
them of any sectarian instruction. 

The statutes of 1849 gave explicit directions for the 
formation of new districts, for the holding and manage- 
ment of their meetings, and for the election of their 
officers. These officers were chosen each year, and were 
called directors, the title which they held under the ter- 
ritory. The former collector was named treasurer, the 
three trustees were merged into a director, and the clerk 
became again the most responsible officer. He kept the 
district records, acted usually as librarian, furnished 
school registers, made annual reports of the condition 
of the district to the town superintendent, gave notice 
of the meetings, made out tax lists of all taxes legally 



60 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

authorized by the district, and employed qualified teach- 
ers with the consent of either or both the other officers. 
This work he performed gratuitously. These officers 
constituted the district board which has charge of the 
school-liouse and grounds. They were required to keep 
the same in good repair; and could buy or sell, under 
the direction of the district, any site for a school-house, 
and the house itself; and should determine, under the 
advice of the state superintendent, the text books used 
in the several branches taught in the school. The dis- 
trict authorized, at a legal meeting, the raising of a 
specific sum • by taxes in each year, on the taxable per- 
sons and corporations in the district towards the sup- 
port of the school; and it became the duty of the dis- 
trict treasurer to collect these taxes. The district 
determined, at its annual meeting, the length of time the 
school should be kept in the ensuing year, and whether 
the school should be kept by a male or female teacher. 

Some provisions of the law have been changed. The 
sum authorized to be raised by tax is now reported to 
the town clerk, and is apportioned by him on the tax- 
able property of the district, and collected by the town 
treasurer. In 1858, the term of each district officer was 
changed from one year to three years, after the first 
election in the case of the director, and after the second 
election in the cases of the clerk and the treasurer. On 
the abolition of the office of town superintendent, the 
clerk was required to report to the town clerk all mat- 
ters which he had formerly reported to the superintend- 
ent. The shortest length of time a school should be 
taught each j'ear was changed in 1866, from three 
months to five months. Until the present year twenty- 



EDUCATION IX WISCOXSIN. 61 

two days of school have been considered as a legal 
month; now twenty days constitute the month. To 
the district board was given the power to make all 
needful regulations for organizing and governing the 
school, and to suspend or expel refractory pupils. 

A law was passed in 1858, allowing the legal voters 
of any two or more adjoining districts to form a union 
district for high school purposes. The officers of this 
district are the same as in the primary districts, and 
perform similar duties. They raay introduce the higher 
branches of learning into the school, and determine the 
standard of qualifications for the admission of pupils. 

By a decision of the supreme court in 1870, it is 
deemed constitutional for a village by its act of incor- 
poration to be organized into a school district; and 
when, in the separation of its territory from that of the 
town, it includes within its limits only a part of that of 
an existing school district, the effect is to create a joint 
school district of the town and village, whose officers 
have jurisdiction respectively over this district. 

Independent districts have been created by charters 
granted by the legislature to the principal cities in the 
state. They each elect a board of education, whose 
members are usually termed commissioners. Their 
powers and duties are defined, and are materially such as 
belong to the officers of the primary district. This 
board chooses most generally a president, a clerk, and a 
superintendent. It establishes and organizes several 
schools within its limits, and adopts rules for the admis- 
sion and classification of the pupils. The superintend- 
ent or some other officer performing the duties belong- 
ing to him, examines and licenses the teachers, inspects 



62 HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF 

the schools, and prepares the annual repoi-t. One of the 
schools in each city is usually chosen as a high school, 
and the advanced pupils from the other schools pursue 
in it the higher branches of education. The school 
buildings in these cities are substantial structures, beau- 
tiful, and imposing in appearance, having many of the 
modern appliances for the school room, and costing each 
from ^10,000 to $75,000. 

The township system was created in 1869 by a law, 
which made its adoption optional with the towns. It was 
an attempt to do for the rural districts, what is done in 
our large villages and cities in grading their schools. 
In 1874, it was reported that eleven or twelve towns, 
principally in the northwestern part of the state, had 
organized their schools under this law. By its provis- 
ions, each town can be constituted into one district, and 
the usual primary districts become subdistricts. The 
clerks of the several subdistricts form the town board 
of directors. This board has the custody of all the 
school property in the town, maintains at least one 
school in each subdistrict, emplo3'S all the teachers and 
pays their salaries, and may establish one high school 
for the more advanced pupils in the town. The officers 
of this board constitute an executive committee to put 
in force all orders of the board. The most important 
officer is the secretar}^ who has, in addition to the usual 
duties of such an officer, the immediate charge and su- 
pervision of all the schools, assists the teachers in 
organizing and grading them, advises the teachers in 
regard to the methods of instruction and government, 
and makes reports to the town supervisors and the 
county superintendent. 



EDUCATION IN AVISCONSIN. 63 

The legislature of 1875 adopted a measure to encour- 
age the voluntary creation of town high schools, as a 
step towards inducing the towns to accept finally the 
complete township system of school government. The 
state makes a special appropriation each year toward 
supporting these schools, which shall be free to the pu- 
pils residing in the districts created therefor. The 
aggregate appropriation may annually reach the sum of 
1^25,000; and each school may receive $500 to meet its 
expenses for instruction, and an additional sum for a 
given rate of the population of the district. Though 
the law has been in operation only a year, several local- 
ities have already accepted it, and commenced arrange- 
ments for opening the schools at an early day. This is 
a measure which can be made of incalculable value to 
the state, in supplying that academic instruction which 
is so greatly needed, especially in the smaller villages 
and the country districts. 

The accompanying table of statistics presents a vari- 
ety of information in regard to the condition of the dis- 
tricts since the state was organized. We are mider 
obligations to the assistant state superintendent for 
nearly all the data upon which these statistics are based. 
This table should be examined in connection with that 
on income and expenditure, given on page iO. 



64 



HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 



Statistics of the School Districts. 



Year. 






c1^ 






Ms . 
« g Jt 

1* 3 j; 
a"" J= 
y^^2 


5'SgM 


her 01 
dren ai- 
ding pub- 


■a s 
5.St3 


6 




c.£ 


o o 


= «- ® 




jn « ^^ 






£s "■^ 


° o o 






•t^P 


j3a; 


■3 oK 


cH <P 


iiaH 


JiaH 


sftH if 


30.2 m 


°?s 


s« 




t/2 


w 


> 


K 


< 


< 


< 


2; 


^o.. 


fe 


1849 - 


1,988 


704 


175.810 


*3, 100 


.115.22 


.1!6.92 


37,425 


39, 763 


2,359 


.59 


1850 - 


3,160 


1,223 


173,246 


3. 350 


17.14 


8.97 


87,018 


66, 581 


3, 558 


.75 


1851 - 


2.300 


1,509 


228,506 


3, 600 


17.15 


8.35 


96, 636 


78, 001 


2,950 


.72 


1852 - 


2,400 


1,730 


261,986 


3,900 


15.83 


8. 69 


105, 123 


88, 593 t3, 500 


.74 


1853 - 


2, 500 


2,212 


289, :M6 


4,200 


18.17 


9.94 


113,788 


95, 293 :t4. 250 


.72 


1854 - 


2, tiOO 


2.389 


347, 542 


4, 500 


18.75 


11.00 


163, 486 


108, 651 


5,000 


.73 


1855 - 


2, 944 


2, 515 


542, 662 


4,800 


23.10 


12.08 


216,543 


122,452 


10, 185 


.71 


1856 - 


3,243 


2, 688 


687.050 


5,100 


25.38 


13.80 


238, 624 


131.592 


4.623 


.66 


1857 - 


3, 562 


2,945 


953, 055 


5. 400 


24.60 


15.10 


300,410 


1.53.613 


je.oco 


.66 


1858 - 


3,807 


3.482 


1,127,191 


5,700 


27.02 


14.92 


372,196 


167,110 


7, .584 


.68 


1859 - 


3,990 


3,700 


1.185,192 


6, 000 


22.93 


14.29 


5:^6, 861 


177,871 


7, 772 


.65 


1860 - 


4,331 


4,045 


1,314,386 


6,:iOO 


24.20 


15. 3C 


681,118 


194,357 


6, 473 


.69 


IStil - 


4,558 


4,211 


1,302,732 


6, 600 


23. 01 


14.62 


632,209 


194, 264 


6,451 


.67 


1S62 - 


4,571 


3, 909 


1, 2.5.5, 85-J 


7,069 


25.82 


15.82 


658, 02:i 


191.376 


5.119 


.64 


litis - 


4, 702 


4,168 


1,326,753 


7,403 


27.11 


16.81 


655,412 


215. 16fl 


10, 640 


.70 


1864 - 


4, 930 


4, 186 


1,487,495 


7, .579 


32.3!i 


19. 4S 


745,790 


211,119 


12,063 


.66 


1865 - 


4,578 


4,338 


1,4.5.5,322 


7,582 


36.45 


22.24 


()i>u, t72 


<23,067 


7,986 


.68 


1866 


4,620 


4, 45ti 


1,763,917 


7.879 


38.63 


24.05 


64(j, 894 


234, 265 


9,760 


.69 


1867 - 


4, 612 


4.565 


2, 140, 358 


8,3.57 


40.76 


26.34 


'124- 689 


239,915 


18, 403 


.70 


1868 - 


4,728 


4,646 


2, 573. 394 


8,566 


42. 97 


27.18 


1,023 053 


249, 007 


14, 67i' 


.78 


186) - 


4,735 


4,742 


2.973,492 


8, 795 


43.63 


28.. 34 


1,143,986 


264,03.^ 


15,389 


.74 


187 J - 


4,802 


4. 965 


3, 295. 268 


9,304 


tll.77 


t27.40 


1,:}02,365 


267,891 


9,618 


.70 


1871 - 


5,031 


4,933 


3,441.120 


9.168 


41.40 


27.62 


1.293,01(< 
17«2,695 


366,014 


17,367 


.69 


187Z - 


5, 103 


4,979 


3,611,607 


9,267 


43.33 


27.04 


370, 292 


18,020 .69 


18,-3 - 


5,205 


4, 957 


3,99.5,4:2 


8,900 


43.38 


27.52 


1,417,395 


383,477 


9. .581 .68 


le74 - 


5, 2.50 


5,113 


3,713,875 


9,332 


47.44 


32.13 


1,302,694 


278,768 


10,873 .66 


1875 - 


5,489 


5,260 


4,266,775 


9,451 


43. 50 


27.13 


1,350,784 


279, 854 


10,733 .64 



Yearly Wages iji the Cities for Six Years. 



Year. 




Female 
Teachers. 



1870 
1871 
1872 
1873 
1874 
1875 



?370 
367 
376 
377 
371 
394 



* The number of teachers employed is estimated for the first 13 years. 
tThe average wages of teachers in the independent cities are not included 
after the year 1869. J 
t Estimated. 



EDUCATION IN" WISCONSIN". 65 



GKADED SCHOOLS. 



In 1875, there were 394 graded schools in the state. 
The number with two departments was 184, and the 
number with three or more was 210. Some of the inde- 
pendent districts have as many as five departments. 

These schools are situated in all our cities and larger 
villages, and even in many of the smaller villages. 

The state has given special and earnest attention to 
the formation of these schools, and its success in estab- 
lishing and developing them has been marked and 
praiseworthy. In an early period in our territorial 
history, two kinds of efforts were introduced to furnish 
the advantages which our present graded schools supply. 
These were the select schools, held by liberally educated 
teachers in the localities having the highest population; 
and the establishment of public schools, usually with 
two departments and connected with a rude system of 
classifying the pupils. Silas Chapman, who was for 
several years an active member of the board of normal 
regents, conducted the Milwaukee High School in 1842. 
He was preceded in this school by two other competent 
instructors. The pupils admitted had passed through 
the studies which are now taught in the primar}' depart- 
ments of our city schools. Rev. M. P. Kinney opened 
a select school in Kenosha in 1840, and continued it two 
years. He had charge of a smilar school in White- 
water in 1844. In these the higher branches were 
taught. Prof. J. W. Sterling, of the State University, 
started a select school, in connection with Mr. E. Enos, 
at Waukesha, in 1847, for the benefit of the advanced 
scholars of the place. At Geneva a school was con- 



Q6 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

ducted in 1848, with an imperfect grading of the pupils 
into two departments. In 1850, Edward Salomon, ex- 
governor, taught a public school for six mouths, with 
some advanced classes, at Manitowoc. 

The state is largely indel)ted to Hon. J. G. McMynn 
for the first organization of its present graded schools, 
and for the vigorous impulse which has raised them 
into such prominence. The first effort to open a school 
of this kind was made by him in 181:9, at Kenosha. 
After teaching a select school during the winter of that 
year, he took the charge of the public school in June 
following, in the north ward of that city. Prof. Z. C. 
Graves, who had performed efficient labor in the first 
teachers' institutes held in Ohio, taught the public 
school in the south ward. Both had no experience in 
grading schools, and could get access to but little infor- 
mation on the subject. Col. McMynn says: "Neither 
Prof. Graves nor myself had ever visitM a graded school, 
but we succeeded, after making some mistakes, in dis- 
covering a plan which others had known long before, 
and which now generally prevails.'" These schools be- 
came in many respects the model after which many of 
the other schools in the state were formed. Col. McMynn 
writes: "I think that at the time, there were no other 
graded schools in the state. In 1851, I began to hear 
of schools similar to those at Kenosha being established 
in different parts of the state. In 1852, I visited Fond 
du Lac, and found a school there in charge of Walter 
Van Ness, which was well conducted, and tolerably well 
graded. J. J. Enos was then teaching in Madison, and 
■was calling the attention of the people of that city to 
the importance of better school accommodations. The 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN". 67 

schools of Racine were not graded nntil 1854." Those 
of the last city were placed under the management of 
Col. McM^-nn at the time of their formation, and he re- 
mained in charge of them for seven years. Here his 
eminent fitness for this work was fully exhibited. He 
placed these schools at the very head of all the graded 
schools in the northwest; and he instructed a number 
of the first principals of similar schools elsewhere in 
the plans and methods which he employed. 

It would be pleasant to trace the history of other 
efforts to organize graded schools in other localities, and 
the valuable work which very many efficient teachers 
have performed in them. The costly buildings used by 
these schools, the wages paid the principals and the 
other teachers, the culture in these teachers demanded, 
the thorough discipline imparted to the pupils who 
pursue the full courses of study, and the large number 
in attendance upon these schools, all show their worth, 
and the esteem in which they are justly held. The 
need of introducing, into a larger number of them, the 
preparatory studies in the classical education is now 
recognized by many teachers in the state. 

In 1872, a law was enacted which provides that all 
graduates of any graded school in the state, who shall 
have passed an examination at such graded school, 
satisfactory to the faculty of the university, shall be 
admitted to the sul)freshman class and the college 
classes of the university, and shall be entitled to free 
tuition. A number have availed themselves of this 
privilege. 

In the necrology of the principals of our graded 
schools, three of them are worthy of special mention. 



68 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

Walter Van Ness died in 1857, at Fond du Lac. He 
was one of the earliest teachers in the graded schools, 
and the first secretarj^ of the State Teachers' Associa- 
tion. He was highly respected bj^ his associate educa- 
tors in the state. J. K. Purdy, after laboring nearly 
fifteen years in the schools of Fort Atkinson, and rais- 
ing them to an excellent standing, departed in the midst 
of his work in 1873. At the time of his death he was 
the president of the State Teachers' Association. Arthur 
Everett, of the Oshkosh High School, an accomplished 
scholar, a successful teacher, and honored in the com- 
munity where he resided, died in 1874. Resolutions of 
respect for these men have been adopted by the teachers 
of the state. 



EDUCATION" IN WISCONSIN. 69 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE STATE INSTITUTIONS OF EDUCATION. 

Two kinds of these institutions — literary and charit- 
able — have been under the management of the state. 
To the former belong the state university and the four 
state normal schools ; and to the latter, the Institute 
for the Blind, the Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, the 
Industrial School for Boy, sand the Soldiers' Orphans' 
Home. 

I. THE SOURCES OF THEIR SUPPORT. 

Both the general government and the state have fur- 
nished the means for founding and supporting these 
public institutions. The sales of land donated by con- 
gress have supplied the funds which have been used 
largely in the erection of the buildings, and in the 
endowment of the state university and the normal 
schools. 

In 1838, the United States granted to Wisconsin 
seventy-two sections of land; and in 1854, another 
seventy-two sections, for the support of a university 
and " for no other use or purpose whatsoever." Both 
these grants were located in the state, and amounted 
to 92,160 acres. From the sale of these lands, the state 
has realized, as net proceeds, $307,595.32; of this sum, 
$209,255.89 constitute the present productive fund of 
the university — $104,339.43 having been withdrawn in 



70 . HISTORICAL SKETCH OP 

1862 to pay for the buildings which had been pre- 
viously erected. By an act of congress in 1862, the 
state received 210,000 acres of land for the endowment 
of an agricultural college, Avhich was connected in 1866 
with the university. This grant has yielded to the 
state the sum of 1231,633.00, called the agricultural 
collage fund. Thus, on the 30th of September, 1875, 
the state university had received §539,228,32, through 
the munificence of the general government. At the 
same time, 4,407 acres of the university lands, and 
52,403 acres of the agricultural college lands remained 
unsold. 

The three grants of congress should have supplied 
this institution with a much larger fund; but the state, 
by its mismanagement in the custody and sale of these 
lands, has occasioned a great loss and impairment of 
the fund. Efforts at restitution have been made. The 
state passed a law in 1867, appropriating annually, for 
ten years, $7,303.76, to the income of the university; 
and this sum was equal to the interest on the moneys 
taken from the productive fund in 1862, to meet the 
debts for the erection of the buildings. As a compen- 
sation in part for its neglect in the disposition of the 
university lands, the state voted in 1872 another an- 
nual appropriation of $10,000 to the university income. 
Previously, in 1870, it had given $50,000 to provide the 
building for the female college. In 1875, it appropri- 
ated $80,000 to furnish a hall for scientific purposes, 
and transferred to the university the property of the 
Soldiers' Ophans' Home, which has since been sold for 
$18,000. So the state has paid $105,751.84 toward the 
annual income of the university, and contributed for 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN", 71 

all purposes, ^235,769.81. On the 6tli of March, 1876, 
an act was passed to repeal the laws for the annual 
appropriations, and substituting in their place a pro- 
vision for a yearly tax of one-tenth of a mill on each 
dollar of the assessed valuation of the taxable property. 
This tax will furnish, at least, ^40,000 a year to the 
income of the university, and '' it shall be deemed," the 
act states, "" a full compensation for all deficiencies in 
said income arising from the disposition of the lands 
donated to the state by congress in trust for the benefit 
of said income.'" In addition to these donations from 
the state, Dane county issued bonds, in 1866, to the 
amount of $40,000, for purchasing lands lying con- 
tiguous to the university grounds for an experimental 
farm, and for the erection of suitable buildings thereon, 
to be used by the agricultural college. In 1875, there 
had been paid $21,000 on these bonds, and the funds 
had been employed for the purposes designated. 

The constitution of the state provides that a portion 
of the income of tbe school fund shall be applied for the 
support of normal schools. Nothing was done under 
this provision until 1857, when twenty-five per cent, of 
the proceeds of the swamp and overflowed lands was 
set apart by law to aid normal institutes and academies. 
In 1865, the legislature directed that the swamp lands 
and the swamp land fund shall be divided into two 
equal parts — one to be used for drainage purposes, and 
the other to constitute a normal school fund. The 
value of the lands and productive items allotted to the 
latter was estimated to be $1,128,246. The amount 
belonging to this fund, and productive at the time, w^as 
$594,581.87. In 1875, this fund had reached $976,364.34, 



72 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

and 612,774 acres of the land were still unsold. The 
four places in which the normal schools are located 
have contributed quite large amounts of money to this 
fund for the purchase of the sites, and toward the erec- 
tion of the buildings. Platteville gave the grounds 
and buildings of the Plattville academy, and $6,500 in 
cash; Whitewater, ten acres of land and $25,000 in 
cash; Oshkosh, a site and $30,000 in cash; and Kiver 
Falls, a site and $25,000 in cash. 

The charitable institutions have been founded and 
maintained solely by appropriations from the state 
treasury". The following sums had been paid in 1875 
for the several schools ; the Institute for the Blind, 
$546,097.91; the Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, 
$576,121.83; the Industrial School, $171,01^0.00; and 
the Soldiers' Orphans' Home, $312,010.91. 

A summary of these statements shows that the state 
university and normal schools have received aid from 
the United States, in the donation of lands, to the 
amount of $1,515,592.66; and from the state, including 
bonds of Dane county and the cash donations of the four 
localities to normal schools, to the amount of $362,- 
269.81. The appropriations of the state to the charit- 
able schools, at the close of last year, were in all, 
$1,935,553.68. The grand total aid for these public 
institutions of education is, $3,813,396.18. 

II. THE STATE UNIVERSITY. 

Gov. Dodge recommended to the first territorial legis- 
lature, in 1836, that congress be requested to grant aid 
to establish an institution for the education of the 
state, and to be governed by the legislature. This was 



EDUCATIO>q- IN WISCONSIN". 73 

the first official action looking toward the foundation of 
the State University. The same legislature passed an 
act to locate the university at Belmont, the place where 
it was then holding its session. Other charters Avere 
granted by the territory for the incorporation of this 
institution in other localities. An act of the legisla- 
ture was approved January 19, 1838, establishing " at 
or near Madison, the seat of government, a university for 
the purpose of educating youth, the name whereof shall 
be, ' The University of the Territory of Wisconsin.' " 
The delegate in congress was directed to ask that body 
to appropriate $20,000 for the erection of the buildings 
of the university, and two townships of vacant land for 
its endowment. Congress made, in the same year, ap- 
propriations of lands, as has already been* shown; and 
tliis grant was afterwards confirmed to the state for the 
university. The territorial legislature accepted the 
appropriation, and provided for the selection of a por- 
tion of the lands. The last act of incorporation ap- 
pointed a board of visitors, who had the control of the 
university; but they accomplished nothing, although 
they remained legally in office until the state was or- 
ganized, in 1818. 

The constitution of the state declares that provision 
shall be made by law for the establishment of a state 
university; and that the proceeds of all lands granted 
by congress to the state shall remain a perpetual fund, 
the interest of which shall be appropriated to its sup- 
port. The state legislature, at its first session, passed 
an act, approved July 26, 1818, establishing the univer- 
sity at Madison, defining its government and its various 
departments, and authorizing the regents to purchase a 
6 



74 HISTORICAL SKETCH OP 

suitable site for the buildings, and to proceed to the 
erection of the same after having obtained from the 
legislature the approval of the plans. The act of 1838 
was repealed. The regents were soon after appointed, 
and their first annual report was presented to the legis- 
lature January 30, 1849. They had selected a site, sub- 
ject to the approval of the state, organized a prepara- 
tory department, and elected a chancellor. The univer- 
sity was thus opened, with John H. Lathrop, from the 
university of Missouri, as its first chancellor ; and with 
John W. Sterling, as the principal of the preparatory 
department. The latter received twenty young men as 
students, February 5, 1849, and heard their recitations 
in a lower room of the high school building of Madison. 
Chancellor Lathrop was not formally inaugurated until 
January 16, 1850. 

A number of the prominent citizens of the state have 
acted on the board of university regents. The superin- 
tendent of public instruction has, by virtue of his 
office, always been a member. Govs. Harvey, Lewis, 
and Salomon, and Maj. Gen. Hamilton, have been presi- 
dents of the board. Hon. Geo. H. Paul is now serving 
as that officer. 

The first university building, the north dormitory, 
was completed, and occupied in 1851. It is one 
hundred and ten feet in length, forty feet in width, 
and four stories in height. The south dormitory, 
of the same size, was erected in 1854. The central 
edifice, known as the University Hall, was finished 
in 1859. The Ladies' Hall Avas completed in 1872 ; 
and the Science Hall is in process of erection, and 
will be occupied, it is expected, this coming fall. 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 75 

All the buildings are located on the university 
grounds. 

The first college classes were formed September IT, 
1851. Prof. 0. M. Conover had already begun his work 
as tutor, and was subsequently engaged as a professor 
for six years. Two gentlemen were, in 1851, the first 
graduates. The administration of Chancellor Lathrop 
continued until 1858. The other professors employed 
under him were, S. Pearl Lathrop, who died in 1851; 
Daniel Reed and Ezra S. Carr, who continued their ser- 
vices until 1868 ; .John P. Fuchs and Auguste Kurstei- 
iier, who were present one or two years. By 1858, only 
fourteen gentlemen had graduated, all of whom had 
received from the university the degree of Master of 
Arts. The attendance of the students had ranged, per 
terra, from forty-four to one hundred and ten ; and of 
these, the collegiates numbered from six to fifty-nine, 
and the preparatories from fifteen to fift3'-four. Stu- 
dents from fourteen to thirty-nine in number, are clas- 
sified as pursuing select studies. 

An attempt was made at reorganization in 1858, and 
the departments of instruction were enlarged. James 
D. Butler, Jo.^eph C. Pickard, Thomas D. Coryell, and 
David H. Tullis were added to the faculty. Henry Bar- 
nard, of Hartford, Conn., was chosen second chancellor, 
and entered upon his office, July 27, 1859 ; and resigned 
in consequence of ill-health, January 17, 1861. He 
gave but little attention to the instruction of the 
classes, but directed his efforts toward the general man- 
agement of the university, and as the agent of the nor- 
mal regents in conducting teachers' institutes. The 
impetus and direction which he imparted to the educa- 



76 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

tional interests of the state were very manifest ; and 
they have since redounded to the welfare of the univer- 
sity and of the public schools. 

A complete reconstruction of the institution took 
place in 1866. During the five years previous the uni- 
versity had no chancellor. Prof. Sterling, as the dean 
of the faculty, or the vice chancellor, performed the du- 
ties of the office. In fact, the care and administration 
Were very largely committed to him all the time after 
the resignation of Chancellor Lathrop, in 1858, until a 
president was secured in 1867. The labors of this faith- 
ful and accomplished professor — the first teacher in the 
iiniversity, and still in active service — have always been 
duly appreciated by the other members oi the faculty, 
and by the students. In this " interregnum," a normal 
department was added under the charge of Prof. Chas. 
H. Allen, and ladies were admitted to its classes. The 
income from the fund had steadily decreased; and, when 
the university began the work of reconstruction in the 
fall of 1866, there were only $5,616.10 on hand to meet 
the expenses of the ensuing year. The number of stu- 
dents had largely increased under Prof. Sterling's man- 
agement. The highest attendance in any single year 
was three hundred and sixty-one. The collegiates re- 
mained nearly the same, but the preparatories and the 
unclassified had more than doul:)led. 

The chief occasion for the radical change was the 
organization of the Agricultural College in connection 
with the university. The magnificent grant of land by 
congress, for this college, was bestowed by the legisla- 
ture, April 12, 1866, upon the institution. In the midst 
of a sharp competition, this measure was effected 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 



77 



largely through the efforts of Dr. J. W. Hoyt, the sec- 
retary of the State Agricultural Society. A new act of 
incorporation was passed, and a new board of regents 
were appointed. There were created the College of 
Arts, the College of Letters, and such professional and 
other colleges as may be added from time to time. The 
instruction was to be opened alike to male and female 
students. As soon as the income would permit, the ad- 
mission and tuition should be free to all residents in the 
state. The government of the several colleges was en- 
trusted to their several faculties. 

Prof. Sterling was the only member of the old faculty 
who was retained. P. A. Chadbourne, of Williams Col- 
lege, Massachusetts, was chosen president of the insti- 
tution, in 1867; and he prosecuted, with remarkable zeal 
and ability, the work of a thorough reorganization. A 
new faculty was selected, new courses of study were in- 
troduced, and the normal department was converted 
into a female college. In the College of Arts, the de- 
partment of agriculture was organized, in 1868, with 
Prof. W. W. Daniells at the head. Previously, a farm 
of nearly one hundred and ninety-five acres, west of the 
old university premises, had been bought for the use of 
this department. Under Col. W. R. Pease was formed 
the department of engineering and military tactics. 
This is now under the instruction of Col. W. J. L. 
Nicodemus. A special course in mining and metallurgy 
was placed in the charge of Prof. Roland Irving. In 
the department of general sciences, Prof. John E. Da- 
vies was appointed to the chair of natural history and 
chemistry. In the College of Letters, the department of 
the ancient classics was established, and that of the 



<» HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

modern classics v/as afterwards added. A sub-fresliman 
course in the classics was appointed for the preparatory 
students. The following professors were selected for 
these departments: Wm. F. Allen, Rev. T. N. Haskel, 
J. B. Parkinson, Dr. S. H. Carpenter, and John B. Feu- 
liug. Subsequently, Alexander Kerr and R. B. Ander- 
son were added. A College of Law was created, and a 
faculty chosen, with J. H. Carpenter as the dean, and 
the judges of the supreme court as members. The 
charge of the lady students was committed to Miss 
Elizabeth Earle, the preceptress. This position is now 
filled by Mrs. D. E. Carson. 

President Chadbourne, enfeebled in health, resigned 
at the end of three years' work. All^ the interests of 
the university had been very greatly improved under 
his administration. Enthusiasm, thoroughness in the 
class room, and confidence in the success of the univer- 
sity were established. His plans have, in the main, 
been followed in the subsequent management of the in- 
stitution. Large additions of students were made to all 
the departments — the highest attendance in any one 
year being four hundred and ninety-one. 

The presidency was not occupied until 1871; and then 
Rev. John H. Twombly was elected to the position, and 
remained in it until 1871. The year of vacancy was 
filled by Prof. Sterling, the vice president. The female 
college was abolished in 1873, and the lady students 
were then admitted to all the departments on equality 
"with the gentlemen. The institution steadily advanced 
in prosperity, as the different departments began to de- 
velop their work. In a single year five hundred and 
seventeen students were admitted into the classes; 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 79 

and, ill the four years, one hundred and fifty-two grad- 
uated. 

The present incumbent, John Bascom, of Williams 
College, was elected January 21, 1874, and he began his 
labors at the opening of the following spring term. He 
has shown such comprehensive views and such vigorous 
control of the university that its further substantial 
growth and usefulness are assured. Last year the in- 
structional force consisted of twenty-seven professors 
and teachers, and four hundred and eleven students were 
enrolled, three-fifths of whom were members of the 
regular college classes. 

III. NOKMAL SCHOOLS. 

The state, in forming the public school system, con- 
templated the establishment of normal schools. The 
legislature in organizing the university, in 1848, re- 
quired it to provide a department of the theory and 
practice of elementary instruction. Accordingly, the 
regents of the universit}^ ordered, in the following year, 
the creation of a normal professorship, and free normal 
instruction to all suitable candidates. Nothing, how- 
ever, was accomplished, for some years, under this pro- 
vision. The operations of the public schools soon 
deepened the conviction that the state must, at the ear- 
liest day practicable, furnish the means for training 
thoroughly its teachers. The first reports of the state 
superintendents, the resolutions adopted at the early 
local and state associations of teachers, and occasional 
articles in the newspapers urged the organization of 
normal schools. The academies, the preparatory classes 
in the colleges, and a few high schools endeavored to 



80 HISTOKICAL SKETCH OF 

meet, in part, the imperative demand for more intelli- 
gent and skillful teachers. The prominent educational 
men began an earnest effort to secure distinctively nor- 
mal instruction nnder the control of the state. In 
1855, the State University appropriated $500 to the 
support of the department for qualifying teachers, and 
elected Prof Daniel Read as their instructor. Eighteen 
young men attended the lectures presented by him on 
the principles and methods of teaching. Another class 
of fifty-nine students was formed, in 1860, for a single 
term, under this department. But, in 1863, the work 
was committed to the care of Prof Chas. H. Allen, who 
had served for several years as the agent of the normal 
school regents; and it immediately assumed a new form, 
and prospered under his vigorous management. He re- 
signed at the end of two .years, and was succeeded by 
Prof J. C. Pickard, who was also an efficient instructor. 
This department was closed in 1868. During its con- 
tinuance, twenty-five students — all ladies — had grad- 
uated. 

The next movement in establishing normal instruc- 
tion, was the act of the legislature, in 1857, in creating 
the normal school income from one-fourth of the swamp 
land fund. This was an event of vast importance to 
the school interests of the state. The inception of the 
idea and the honor of securing its adoption by the legis- 
lature, belong quite largely to Prof A. C. Spicer, a for- 
mer principal of Milton College. This act directed that 
the income of this fund should be distributed among 
the academies and colleges which maintained normal 
classes, and in proportion to the number of students 
therein who passed a successful examination conducted 



EDUCATION IN" WISCONSIN. 81 

by an agent of the normal school board. Shortly after, 
the high schools were added to the list. The measure 
was in force eight years, and limited aid was granted 
each year to several institutions. 

But in 1865, this law was repealed, and the income 
from one-half of the proceeds of the swamp lands was 
devoted to maintaining separate normal schools under 
the direction of the board of normal regents. A 
portion of this income, as already stated, was diverted 
until 1870, toward the support of the common schools. 
In 1866, the board of regents was incorporated by the 
legislature ; and it began at once to secure the estab- 
lishment of normal schools in different parts of the 
state. Propositions were received that year from vari- 
ous places, asking for the location of the schools. 
Platteville was designated as a site for one of the 
schools, and WhiteAvater for another. In the former 
place, the school was opened October 9, 1866, and Prof. 
Chas. H. Allen assumed the charge, which he held over 
four years. He was succeeded by Prof. E. A. Charlton, 
the present incumbent, from Lockport, N. Y. The 
Whitewater school began operations April 21, 1868, 
under the presidency of Prof Oliver Arey, who was 
formerly connected with the normal schools at Albany 
and Brockport, N. Y. By a similar method, the board 
have located and opened two other schools. That at 
Oshkosh was dedicated September 19, 1871 ; and Prof. 
Geo. S. Albee, formerly principal of the public schools 
of Racine, was placed at the head. The River Falls 
school, with Prof W. D. Parker as its principal, com- 
menced work September 2, 1875. Prof Parker was the 
former principal of the public schools of Janesville. 



82 HISTOKICAL SKETCH OF 

All these institutions have grown into great favor in 
the state. They are supplied with competent faculties, 
and are fully attended each year by students. The 
buildings are large, commodious, and substantial. Tui- 
tion is free to all normal pupils. Six representatives 
from each assembly district in the state can be sent to 
these schools. An elementary course of study for two 
3'ears, and an advanced course for four years are pur- 
sued in each school. Already some of the graduates in 
the more advanced course are occupying responsible 
positions in our best graded schools, and in the normal 
schools themselves. 

From the beginning, the operations of the normal 
school board have given great satisfaction to the state. 
Their deliberations have been uniformly harmonious 
and painstaking, and their actions have been judicious 
and vigorous. The income of the great fund in their 
hands has been managed with the strictest economj'; and 
the best possible results from the use of this income 
have been secured. A careful and constant supervision, 
is exercised overall the schools through the officers of 
the board, and through appropriate committees. Only 
three presidents have served in the board : the first, 
Rev. M, P. Kinney, of Racine, a part of the year 1857, 
when the board was first created ; the second, Hon. C. 
C. Sholes, of Kenosha, from the following year until 
1867, when he died ; and the third, Hon. Wm. Starr, of 
Ripon, who succeeded Mr. Sholes. Hon. Hanmer Rob- 
bins, of Platteville, and Hon. Wm. E. Smith, of Milwau- 
kee, were active regents, and a portion of the time vice 
presidents of the board, from 1858 until 1872 for the for- 
mer, and from 1858 until 1876 for the latter. Lucius Fair- 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 



83 



child, when he was governor of the state, participated with 
a most livel}' interest in the transactions of the board. 

The accompanyiug table shows the current expenses, 
the attendance of the pupils in each department, and 
the graduates in the fuller course of study, the whole 
number of students at the end of each academic j'ear, 
a,Ad the annual cost per student, in the schools at 
Platteville, Whitewater, and Oshkosh, since their open- 
ing. No statistics of the River Falls school are pre- 
sented, as it has not yet completed its first year. 

PLATTEVILLE NORMAL SCHOOL. 



Year 


Current 
Expenses. 




ermedi- 
t e and 
cadeir.ic 
tudents. 


Normal Stu- 
dents. 


Graduates 


o . 
c -2 
^ a; 


o rt 

>.5 


















Sec 


a =''^^ 


Male. 


Female 


Male. 


Fern. 


-=-/2 








l-H 










^ 


>^ a 


1807 


$8,53f. 98 


70 


41 


38 


61 






210 


$40 60 


lh(i8 


10,048 07 


116 


64 


64 


79 






316 


31 10 


1809 


14,5:W 01 


49 


165 


69 


81 


6 


i> 


364 


39 93 


isru 


11.3H2 ;w 


63 


162 


77 


107 


10 


5 


391 


29 14 


IbTl 


14,295 9B 


55 


163 


81 


92 


4 


8 


391 


36 56 


187^ 


12, 116 43 


61 


145 


82 


116 


5 


3 


404 


29 93 


1873 


14,982 19 


65 


161 


90 


92 


15 


11 


408 


36 72 


1874 


19,(348 61 


79 


193 


83 


112 


4 


6 


467 


43 05 


1875 


30,504 52 


42 


353 


104 


109 


3 


G 


460 


44 57 


Total 


$126,049 16 








.... 1 47 


41 








WHITEWATER NORMAL SCHOOL. 











Normal Stu- 


Graduates 


o . 


|s 


Year 


Current 
Expenses. 


:§! 


i^ii 


dents. 






^ g 














"Stc 






g.^ 




Male. 


Female 


Male. 


Fem. 


J=-J2 




1868 


$6,654 97 


32 


70 


20 


28 






150 


$44 36 


1869 


16,834 27 


47 


143 




95 






362 


46 23 


1870 


12,077 69 


42 


131 


70 


118 


5 


1 


3H1 


.33 46 


1871 


11,941 39 


36 


68 


80 


110 


2 


8 


394 


40 61 


1872 


13,571 66 


45 


107 


76 


145 


1 


5 


362 


37 49 


1873 


16,.W8 22 


38 


53 


120 


166 


6 


8 


3(J7 


45 06 


1874 


16,035 80 


46 


51 


88 


146 


5 


10 


356 


47 72 


1875 


16, 157 81 


51 


84 


80 


134 


1 


6 


341 


47 3:i 


Total 


$109,811 81 







20 


38 







84 



HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 



OSHKOSH NORMAL SCHOOL. 



Teak 


Current 
Expenses. 


1=' 

S03 


Intermedi- 
ate and 
Academic 
Students. 


Normal Stu- 
dents. 


Graduates 


. 






Male. 


Female 


Male. 


Fem. 




1873 
1873 
1874 
1875 


$15,795 06 
17,363 13 
17,782 40 
21,2il6 95 


62 

56 
71 
57 


79 
157 

178 
158 


71 
91 
102 
119 


102 
170 
Kitj 
170 


"3 


'5 


314 
4(i3 
527 

,'i04 


$50 03 
37 93 
33 72 

42 25 


Total 


$72,237 54 










3 


5 







IV. CHARITABLE SCHOOLS. 



The action of the state in caring for its unfortunate 
and criminal clas.ses has been ample and praiseworthy. 
Our purpose leads us, as already announced, to consider 
only the provisions which have been made for the youth 
of these tAvo classes, by the establishment of charitable 
and correctional schools. Besides furnishing the means 
for the education of the blind, the deaf and dumb, the 
vicious boys, and the soldiers' orphans, the state has 
not altogether forgotten the needs of the feeble minded. 
The attention of the legislature has been called, at sev- 
eral sessions, to the duty of providing an institution for 
this last class; but the expenditures of the state in enlarg- 
ing its prison, and in eKecting a second hospital for the 
insane, have thus far prevented any distinctive work 
from being done in this direction. An industrial school 
for girls is also demanded. A private one has been 
opened for the city of Milwaukee, through the exertions 
of Mrs. W. P. Lynde, a member of the State Board of 
Charities. 



EDUCATION IS" WISCONSIN". 85 

1. Institute for' the Blind* 

This institution is located at Janesville, and was tlie 
first establislied by the state for the benefit of the un- 
fortunate. A school for the blind had been opened in 
the latter part of the year 1849, by the citizens of that 
place and vicinity. Its operations were brought to the 
notice of the legislature, and it was adopted by the state 
in an act which was approved, Februar}' 9, 1850, and 
which provided for its entire support from the public 
treasury. The charge of it is now committed to five trus- 
tees, appointed by the governor. They serve without any 
compensation for three years, and employ a superintend- 
ent, teachers, and other persons necessary for the man- 
agement of the school. 

The object of the institution is declared by law to be 
" to qualif}^ as far as may be, ' the blind,' for the enjoy- 
ment of the blessings of a free government, obtaining 
the means of subsistence, and the discharge of those 
duties, social, and political, devolving upon American 
citizens." The design of the school is, therefore, to edu- 
cate those blind persons in the state, who are of suitable 
age and capacity to receive instruction. Pupils are re- 
ceived who are between the ages of eight and twent}'- 
one years. They reside in the building provided for 
them, and are supported and taught free of charge. 
Twice in its history the experiment has been tried of 
requiring the payment of tuition, or the presentation of 
oflicial certificates of inability to pay. The result in 
each case was so disastrous to the usefulness of the in- 

* In preparing the history of the charitable iustitiitions, use has been 
made of sketches of them In the recent editions of the Legislative Manual 
for Wisconsin. 



86 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

stitution, that the original policy Avas speedily resumed. 
The funds for the support of the school were derived, 
the first year, from a tax of one-fifteenth of a mill on 
each dollar of taxable property; but it has since been 
supported by annual appropriations. 

The institution was first opened for the reception of 
pupils on the 7th of October, 1850. It occupied a 
rented building until June 1, 18.52, when it was removed 
into an edifice erected for its use at a cost of about 
$3,000. The lot of ten acres had been donated by the 
owners, and now forms a part of the grounds belonging 
to the school. This new edifice was so arranged as to 
admit of becoming the wing of a larger one, which was 
commenced in 185^1:, and fully completed in 1859. In 
186i-65, a brick building was provided for a shop and 
for other purposes — a small wooden one having previ- 
ously been used several years for a shop. The founda- 
tion of the wing already built proved to be defective, 
and in 1867, that portion of the building had to be re- 
moved. The next year, work was begun on an extension 
which should replace the demolished portion, and afford 
room for the growth of the school. This was completed 
in 1870, and the value of the buildings, grounds, and 
personal property belonging to the institution was esti- 
mated to be $182,000. On the 13th of April, 1874, the 
building was destroyed by fire; and at the ensuing ses- 
sion of the legislature, an appropriation of '$56,000 was 
made for the erection of a new edifice on the old site, 
but on a somewhat different plan. The school was not 
allowed to close on account of the fire. The board of 
trustees procured suitable accommodations for the pupils 
in the city of Janesville, where the work of the school 



EDUCATION IN" WISCONSIN". 87 

was carried on until January 1, 1876, when the new 
building was ready for occupancy. 

Another misfortune awaited the institution in the 
loss of its superintendent, Prof. Thomas H. Little, who 
died after a brief but painful illness, February 4, 1875, 
He had received injuries in the burning of the main 
building, and suffered subsequently fn)m anxiety and 
labor in his oversight of the pupils under the disadvant- 
ages of their temporary home. He was a man of rare 
abilities for the position which he filled over thirteen 
years. Under him the school attained a high standing, 
through his labors the State Board of Charities was cre- 
ated, and he was favorably known abroad for his enlight- 
ened vie^vs and his distinguished success in his work. 
He was succeeded by his wife, Mrs. Sarah F. C. Little, 
the first instance in this country of the appointment of 
a woman to the he.nd of such an institution. Six other 
gentlemen had preceded Prof. Little as superintendent; 
and only one. Prof. W. H. Churchman, an accomplished 
officer, remained longer than two years. 

The president of the board of trustees, A. A. Jackson^ 
Esq., of Janesville, has occupied the position four years. 
He was preceded by R. B. Treat, M. D., now of Chicago. 
J. B. Whiting, M. D., is the secretary; and J. B. Doe, 
Esq., the treasurer of the board. These officers have 
contributed largely to the prosperity of the institu- 
tion. 

The school has three departments of instruction: one 
embraces the subjects usually taught in our common 
schools; another furnishes training in vocal, instru- 
mental, and theoretical music; and the third teaches the 
girls sewing, knitting, and various kinds of fancy work, 



88 



HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF 



and the boys broom-making, and the seating of cane- 
bottom chairs. 



Table sliowing for each year the amount appropriated^ the attend~ 
ance of pupils, and the cost 2)er pupil for support, i}i the Institute 
for the Blind: 



Year. 


Current 


Buildings, 


Total. 


Num- 
ber of 


Yearly 
cost per 




Expenses. 


etc. 




Pupils. 


Pupil. 


1850 - - 


$1, 3()S 62 




$l,3()a 62 


8 


$171 08 


1851 - - 


2,000 00 


"".^3,"(i6(J'6o 


5. 000 00 


9 


222 23 


1852 - - 


2. 000 00 


2, 500 00 


4.. 500 00 


9 


222 23 


1853 - - 


2,500 00 




2, .500 00 


13 


192 31 


1854 - - 


3,500 00 


"'"i2!(W)"6o 


15, 50O 00 


16 


218 75 


1855 - - 


4,000 00 


5,000 00 


9.0(10 00 


14 


285 71 


1858 - - 


5, 000 00 


10, OIK) 00 


1.5,000 00 


19 


26;3 15 


1857 - - 


7,000 00 


15,000 00 


22,000 00 


30 


350 00 


1858 - - 


5 000 (X) 


7, 530 79 


12, .530 79 


25 


200 00 


1859 - - 


0,000 OJ 


0..575 00 


1.5, .575 00 


32 


281 25 


18()0 - - 


9, (,'00.00 


3, 70O 00 


12,70.) 00 


36 


250 00 


18(;i - - 


0,0)0 00 


1,0 JO 00 


10. 000 00 


43 


211 90 


18fi-2 - - 


8,800 00 




8.810 00 


52 


169 23 


18ti3 - - 


12,000 0,t 


""2. TOO "66 


14,0(10 00 


54 


222 23 


18ti4 - - 


15,000 00 


5, 0(;o 00 


20, 00,) 00 


59 


254 34 


18t)5 - - 


19„500 0) 


t;,5oo 00 


2(),0()0 00 


58 


336 30 


18!iB - - 


10, (X),) (K) 




1(),(^0() 00 


54 


296 39 


181)7 - - 


Iti.tHK) 00 


'" i,'666'66 


17.00:1 00 


.54 


296 29 


1868 - - 


18.000 00 


60, 000 CO 


78. 01 HI 00 


60 


■?M 00 


1 Still - - 


18,000 00 


.500 00 


18.. 500 00 


69 


260 87 


1870 - - 


18,(100 GO 


29. 800 00 


47.800 00 


64 


381 25 


1871 - - 


18, 300 00 


7,073 .50 


35,. 573 .50 


68 


269 11 


1872 - - 


21,0.10 00 


1, 400 00 


22,400 00 


76 


263 16 


1873 - - 


20, ,500 00 


2.50 00 


20. 7.50 00 


77 


3156 18 


1874 - - 


10,000 00 


3, 800 00 


22, 800 00 


75 


253 34 


1875 - - 


18.000 00 


65.000 00 


83,000 00 


82 


319,41 


Total 


$297,468 63 


$248,62!) 29 


$546, 097 91 1 .... 





2. Institute for the Deaf and Dumb. 

The first mover in the interests of deaf-mute instruc- 
tion in the state was Mr. Ebenezer Cheesboro, a resident 
of Walworth county, whose deaf and dumb daughter 
had been educated at the New York Institution. The 
citizens of Delavan, in that county, became interested 
in the establishment of a similar institution. in this state. 
A private school for deaf-mutes was opened near the vil- 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 89 

lage, and subsequently in it; and by an act of the legis- 
lature, April 19, 1852, it was incorporated as a state insti- 
tution, and fully organized in June following. The site 
is a very eligible one, and has been made beautiful by 
the tasteful arrangement of the grounds, and the careful 
training of foliage. The land first occupied was donated 
by Mr. F. K. Phoenix, a member of the first board of 
trustees. The original boundaries have been enlarged, 
so that the grounds of the institution now embrace 
nearly thirty-three acres. One of the wings of the build- 
ing was first erected, and the central portion and an- 
other wing were subsequently added. The whole edifice, 
constructed of brick, presents an attractive appearance, 
and furnishes excellent accommodations for the inmates. 
The institute is under the charge of five trustees, appoint- 
ed by the governor, each for the term of three years. 
The officers of the board are Rev. A. L. Chapin, president; 
Hon. Joseph Hamilton, secretary; and Hon. John E. 
Thomas, treasurer. The principal is Prof. W. H. De 
Motte, who was immediately preceded b}' Prof. Geo. L. 
Weed. Five others had held the same position, and 
among them was Prof. J. S. Ofiicer, who died February 
3, 1865, after a service of eight years in the institution, 
honored and beloved in his labors. 

No pupils are received under ten years of age, while 
twelve years is regarded as the proper age for their ad- 
mission. The regular course of instruction occupies five 
years, and is divided into seven grades. The children 
of the state are not charged for board and tuition; but 
their friends are expected to provide clothing and pay 
incidental expenses. A class in articulation was formed 
last year. Two trades are taught, cabinet-making and 
7 



90 



HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 



shoemaking. The shop for [the former was opened in 
March, 1860, the latter subsequently; and they both 
have become self-supporting. 

Table slioicingfor each year the amount appropriated, the attend- 
ance of pupils, and the cost per pupil for supjtort, in the Lisiitute 
for the Deaf and Dumb: 



Year. 


Cun-eut 
Expenses. 


Buildings. 


Total. 


Num- 
her of 
Pupils. 


Yearly 
Cost per 
Pupil. 


3853 - - 
185:i - - 
1854 - - 


.$.500 00 
4,000 00 
7, 500 00 
7, 060 00 
7,000 00 

i2,oa) 00 

9, 000 00 
15,100 00 
13. .550 CO 
14,000 00 
12, 20 J 00 
13,2.50 00 
1.5, .5.50 00 
19,000 00 
27,684 4S 
27,000 00 
27, 000 00 
30, OOJ 00 
30,000 00 
38,364 00 
37,94!) 00 
28, 500 00 
35, 000 CO 
31,500 00 


*3.C00 00 
5,u00 CO 


.f 3, .500 Oil 
9,(00 00 
7, .500 00 
7, .500 00 
7,300 0:) 
34,. 500 CXt 
15,500 00 
19,61)0 00 
29,450 00 
14,060 00 
12, 2 1) 00 
13.2.50 IK) 
15,. 5.5 J 00 
41,0tKl (0 
41,. 585 Ki 
35, 000 01) 
27,600 00 
33,000 00 
34,176 (K) 
3H,3t;4 10 
37,949 CO 
28.500 00 
35,0110 00 
36.000 00 


8 
16 
31. 
34 
49 
56 
52 
79 
87 
8() 
83 
89 
80 
91 
104 

las 

95 
112 
144 
149 
104 
176 
176 
180 


?62 50 
250 OO 
241 93 


1855 - - 

1856 - - 

18.57 - - 

18.58 - - 

1859 - - 

1860 - - 

1861 - - 


500 00 
300 00 
22, .500 CO 
6,5(X) 00 
4, 500 ( 
15, 900 00 


205 88 
142 86 
214 28 
173 08 
189 87 
155 75 
162 79 


1862 - - 




146 98 


1863 - - 

1864 - - 




147 74 
194 37 


1865 - - 

1866 - - 

1867 - - 

1868 - - 


22,030 OJ 
13,901 35 
8, 0^0 00 


20S 78 
266 25 
250 00 

284 21 


1869 - - 

1870 - - 

1871 - - 

1872 - - 


3,000 00 
4, 176 00 


267 85 
208 40 
284 29 
231 34 


1873 - - 




161 93 


1874 - - 

1875 - - 

] 
Total - 


i,',566"66"' 


198 86 
191 67 


$-165,647 48 


$110, 777 35 


$.576,424 83 













3. IndusiriaJ ScliooJ for Boys. 

This institution is situated about three-fourths of a 
mile west of the railway depot, in the village of Wau- 
kesha. The buildings are located on the southern bank 
of Fox river, and are arranged into a main central 
edifice and six family houses, all three stories high. 
They are built of stone with slate roofs, and are in- 
tended to be substantial 1}^ fire proof. In addition to 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 91 

these buildings there are two stone shops, barns, and 
sheds. A farm of two hundred and thirty-three acres 
belongs to the institution, and the most of it is under 
good cultivation. 

An act of the legislature Avas approved,' March 7, 1857, 
providing for the establishment of the institution, then 
known as the House of Refuge. The name was subse- 
quently changed to State Reform School, and still later, 
to Wisconsin Industrial School for Boys, its present 
title. The first building was formally opened for the 
reception of delinquent boys, July 25, 1860, and Moses 
Barret was appointed superintendent. At that time, a 
few countries in Europe, and some of the New England 
states and New York had organized similar institutions. 
Our House of Refuge was at first a juvenile prison Avith 
its cells and grates. It was formed on the congregate 
plan with its crowd of boys in a single company. The 
law enacts that it '' shall be the place of confinement 
and instruction of all male children between the ages 
of ten and sixteen years who shall be legally committed 
by any competent court as vagrants, or on conviction 
of any criminal offense, or for incorrigible or vicious 
conduct." 

The present superintendent. Rev. A. D. Hendrickson, 
was elected in 1865. Under his administration, the 
school has been remarkably successful. In the winter 
succeeding his election, the main building with nearly 
all its contents was consumed by fire. The small build- 
ings left standing have been moved and remodeled; and 
ten additional edifices for different purposes have since 
been erected. The farm has been quadrupled in size, 
and stocked with cattle, hogs, and other animals. The 



yj^ HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

gl'oiinds on whicli the buildings are situated liave been 
laid out into drives and shaded walks, and ornamented 
\vith hedges, shrubs, and trees. The school has been 
converted into a home with its social relations, and its 
family circle. It is a miniature colony with its houses 
and workshops, its farms and gardens, its schools and 
libraries, and its social and religious facilities. In the 
sixteen years of its history, 1,184 children have been 
under its instruction; and of this number about one- 
fourth were, last year, still members of the institution. A 
'large per centage of those who have been discharged 
iare now quiet, industrious, and respected citizens. 

Of the board of managers, Hon. Andrew E. Elmore 
has been a member from the beginning, and has aided 
very materially in the management and growth of the 
school. Edward O'Neill is president, and Hon. Chas. 
R. Gibbs secretary. The income of the institution is 
drawn from the products of its workshops and farm, 
from annual appropriations by the state, and from 
charges against counties for maintaining a certain class 
of inmates. The second is the chief source. The 
instruction in the school proper is given in six depart- 
ments, and is confined principally to the common Eng- 
lish branches. Some of the boys learn farm work and 
gardening, and others such trades as shoe-making, tail- 
oring, broom-making, and mason work. 



EDUCATION IN" WISCONSIlSr. 



93 



Table showing for each year the amount appropriated, the numher 
of inmates, and the cost 2yer inmate for srqyport in the Indus- 
trial School for Boys : 



Year. 


Current 
Expensoe. 


Buildings, 
etc. 


Total. 


Whole 
No. of 
Inmat'.x 


Yearly 
Cost per 
Inmate. 


1860 - - 


.1!4,953 81 




.f4,953 81 


39 


.1!12;' 02 
130 65 


1861 - - 


5,879 17 


*1. 143 63 


7.051 79 


58 


1863 - - 


5,861 31 


509 63 


6.370 84 


80 


90 ir 


1863 - - 


6,916 33 


347 75 


7,363 97 


98 


83 33 


1864 - - 


13,456 53 


3, 500 00 


15.9.i6 63 


1.55 


85 10 


1865 - - 


19, 756 47 


747 91 


20,. '504 38 


245 


116 21 


1866 - - 


24,036 14 


29,804 76 


53.830 90 


209 


1.50 60 


1867 - - 


24, 347 56 


13.3.55 35 


37,603 91 


217 


149 68 


1868 - - 


36.741 83 


11. 178 03 


37,919 86 


227 


163 or 


18b9 - - 


34, 983 34 


4,. 50 7 87 


39,490 31 


233 


140 35 


1870 - - 


33, 103 M 


13,449 12 


4.5, .5,52 16 


293 


1. 3 41 


1871 - - 


33,3fr.7 95 


3,439 59 


35,817 54 


2.-8 


125 05 


1873 - - 


36,538 70 


12,809 59 


49,348 29 


.347 


1-.8 66 


1873 - - 


41, 4 r3 46 


27, OOJ 00 


68.472 46 


363 


145 01 


1874 - - 


43,453 02 


5,640 05 


49,099 07 


403 


148 oa 


1875 - - 


45, 156 70 


14,000 00 


59, 156 70 


413 


150 02 


Total - 


$386,933 15 


.1141,438 27 


$528,361 42 













4. Soldiers' Orphans' Home. 

At the close of the civil war, our state was the first 
in the Uniou to acknowledge her obligations to provide 
for the support and education of the orphan children of 
her soldiers who had died in the service. In the fall of 
1865, Mrs. C. A. P. Harvey, the widow of Gov. Harvey, 
Hon. B. F. Hoi)kins, and other patriotic citizens in the 
state, raised by subscription $12,834.69 for the purpose 
of opening a Soldiers' Orphans' Home at Madison. The 
nse of the building, known as "Harvey Hospital," was 
donated by the national government. This was thor- 
oughly refitted and furnished, and thus converted into 
a home for the eighty-four orphans who were first ad- 
mitted, Januar}' 1, 1866. The property was purchased 
by the state for $10,000, and the home became a state 



94 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

institution, March 31, 1866, Mrs. Harvey was made the 
superintendent, and remained in the position until May 
1, 1867. This office has since been filled by Mr. F. B. 
Brewer, Rev. I. N. Cundall, Mr. W. P. Towers, and 
Prof. R. W, Burton. The management of the institu- 
tion has been under a board of trustees appointed by 
the governor. Gen. James Bintliff has been the presi- 
dent of the board for several years. During the year 
1868, a substantial stone school building was erected on 
the premises of the home at a cost of $12,000. The 
number of inmates in the'institution having been quite 
largely reduced, the legislature, in 1874, directed that 
homes in private families should be obtained for the 
children over fourteen years of age; and that contracts 
should be made with parents or guardians to support 
those under that age until they were fourteen years old. 
A suitable allowance was made these parents or guard- 
ians, on the condition that the children under their care 
should attend school at least four months in each year. 
This act virtually closed the institution that year. 

For the nine years in which the school was in opera- 
tion, six hundred and eighty-three orphans were admit- 
ted, and $333,900 were appropriated to it by the state. 
These orphans were not only maintained, but educated 
and brought up to habits of industry. After 1870, a 
few of the pupils were supported each year at the nor- 
mal schools of the state. The home was established on 
the idea that the inmates, when fifteen years of age, 
would not need its protection; and, with this condition, 
the institution has served its purpose, and left a worthy 
monument of the tender regard of the state for the 
children of its fallen heroes. 



EDUCATIOX m WISCONSIN. 



95 



In 1871, the home received '123,000, as its share of the 
bequest of Horatio Ward, deceased, an eminent Ameri- 
can banker in London, England, who donated nearly 
^100,000 to all the institutions of the kind in this 
country. An arrangement has been effected in this 
state, in accordance with the wish of the testator, to 
divide this bequest among those who have been inmates 
of the institution as they become of age — boys at 
twenty-one years, and girls at eighteen. 

In closing up the affairs of the home, the work had 
to be extended into 1875, and an appropriation was made 
to meet the current expenses of that year. 

Table showing for each pear the amount ajypropriatedy the num- 
ber of inmates, and the cost per inmate for support, in the Sol- 
diers' Orphans' Home : 



Year. 


Current 
Expenses. 


Buildings, 
etc. 


No. of 
Total. In- 
mates. 


Yearly 
Cost per 
Inmate. 


1866 - 

1867 
1868 - 
1869 
1870 - 
1871 

1872 - - 

1873 - - 

1874 - 

1875 - - 


?25.000 
40. UOO 
40.000 
45, 000 
40, 200 
41,400 
31,40) 
21,200 
17,200 
8,900 


.f 10, 000 
8,500 

'2,"666 



$35,000 
40, 000 
52, Olio 
53,500 
40, 200 
41,400 
31,400 
23, 200 
17, 20 J 
8,900 


298 
275 
315 
279 
331 
310 
271 
243 
159 
35 


$83 89 
145 45 
126 98 
161 87 
121 45 
132 55 
115 86 
87 24 
108 11 
254 28 


Total - 


$310,:i00 


$32,500 


$342,800 













©6 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 



CHAPTER V. 

PRIVATE AND DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS. 
I. UliTINCGRPORATED PRIVATE SCHOOLS. 

Many of the earliest public schools of the rural dis- 
tricts and the hest high schools of the cities originated 
in private efforts for the instruction of the children and 
youth. Some of the first select schools have been devel- 
oped into our best academies and colleges. If the work of 
education receives any proper attention in the new settle- 
ments of our country, it must usually commence in this 
manner. The effort has to lie local and independent. 
At the time when the school sj^stem under the state 
government was organized, a large number of unincor- 
porated private schools were in operation. During our 
territorial history, the most thoroughly competent 
teachers were employed in them. 

It was natural that schools of this character should 
be continued for a season even in some of the older set- 
tled places, after the present school system was estab- 
lished. To such an extent were they retained that 
superintendent Ladd complained, in one of his reports, 
of their deleterious influence upon the public schools. 
Quite large numbers of them have been maintained each 
year since the formation of the state. The attendance 
of pupils upon them has been annually reported to be 
from four thousand to eighteen thousand. A greater 



EDUCATION" IN WISCONSIN". 97 

number than these, it is known, have been taught in 
them. Some of the religious denominations of the state 
sustain, in connection with a portion of their churches, 
schools with primary, intermediate, and grammar de- 
partments. This is particularly the case in our larger 
cities, and in some sections inhabited by our citizens of 
foreign birth. In these schools special religious instruc- 
tion is usually given. Some select schools for more 
advanced pupils are still kept in the cities and larger 
villages, on the idea that more careful instruction is im- 
parted, and a higher moral tone maintained in them than 
in the public high schools. A few kindergarten have 
been opened, the past two j^ears, principally in Milwau- 
kee. 

In the past sixteen years, other private schools, 
under the name of business and commercial colleges, 
have been sustained. At present there are at least 
eleven of them at work, most of which are unincorpo- 
rated. The principal ones are in Milwaukee, Madi- 
son, Janesville, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Green Ba}^, and 
La Crosse. Some of them sustain such relations to each 
other that the same scholarship can be used in them all. 
They are generally attended by one hundred and 
twenty-five to two hundred and seventy-five students 
per year. The oldest and most prominent teacher in 
any of these schools is Prof Robert C. Spencer, of Mil- 
waukee. The Business College at Madison Avas under 
the successful management of Prof B. M. Worthing- 
ton for several years. The annual cost of tuition for 
each student in these institutions ranges from $40 to -fSO. 



98 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 



II. INCORPORATED ACADEMIES. 

A large number of academies have been chartered by 
the legishiture, but not all of them were ever organized, 
and only a fevy^ of them are now in operation. The ex- 
cellent graded schools, the preparatory departments of our 
colleges, and the normal schools, having performed the 
work which belongs to these institutions, have made the 
demand for them less than in some other states. Of the 
about thirty academies incorporated by the territory, 
only six were surviving when the state was organized, 
and only two, Platteville Academy and Milton Academy, 
are still in existence, though not in their original form. 

In 1837, Beloit Seminar}' was incorporated, but the 
school was not established until the fall of 1843. It 
closed its work, under Prof. S. T. Merrill, at the end of 
seven years, and its male department was merged into 
the Beloit College. Southport Acaderaj', at Kenosha, 
was chartered in 1839, and was taught, the first two 
years, by Rev. M. P. Kinney. He was succeeded by 
Gov. L. P. Harvey, who continued in charge until 1844, 
when the school was suspended. Platteville Academy 
. was first incorporated in 1839, but was not opened un- 
til 1844. It vacated its charter upon becoming a state 
normal school in 1866. Of its teachers. Prof. J. L. Pick- 
ard and Prof. Geo. M. Guernsey served the longest as 
principals, the former thirteen years and the latter seven. 
Prairieville Academy, at Waukesha, was chartered in 
1841, but closed its operations after a brief experience. 
Select schools and a college having been opened in the 
place, the academy was no longer needed. Silas Chap- 
man was its principal teacher. Milton Academy began 



EDUCATIOISr IN" WISCONSIN". 99 

as a select school with academic facilities in 1844; re- 
ceived its first charter from the territory in. 1848, and 
was converted into a college in 1867. The main teach- 
ers in charge under its academic career Avere Rev, S. S. 
Bicknell, Rev. A. W. Coon, Prof. A. C. Spicer, and Rev. 
W. C. Whitford. Janesville Academy was established 
under its charter in 1845, and its first principal was Rev. 
T. J. Ruger, the rector of the Episcopal Church of the 
place. He taught about a year^ and was succeeded by 
Levi Alden, who resigned in 1847. The charge of the 
academy then passed into the hands of Prof. A. B. Miller. 
It was, after a brief history, transformed into a high 
school, and connected with the graded school system of 
the place. 

Acts of incorporation have been granted by the state 
to a very large number of academic institutions. 
Among those which have been suspended, or do not 
maintain regular sessions, are Beloit Female Seminary, 
Allen's Grove Academy, Evansville Seminary, Janes- 
ville Wesleyan Seminary, Milton Institute, Baraboo 
Collegiate Institute, Brunson Institute, Lancaster In- 
stitute, Oconomowoc Seminary, Waterloo Academy, 
Marshall Academy, Waukesha Seminary, Kilbourn In- 
stitute, Appleton Collegiate Institute, River Falls Insti- 
tute, and Wesleyan Seminary at Eau Claire. Three 
kinds of woi-k have been performed in these institutions: 
preparing common school teachers, 3"0ung people for 
the business pursuits, and students for the college classes. 

The following academies receive students two or three 
terms in the year: Milwaukee Academy, German and 
English Academy of Milwaukee, St. Mary's Institute at 
Milwaukee, Kemper Hall at Kenosha, St. Catharine's 



100 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

Academy at Racine, Rochester Seminary, Lake Geneva 
Seminary, Big Foot Academy, Sharon Academy, Jef- 
ferson Liberal Institute, Albion Academy, Patch Grove 
Academy, Fox Lake Seminary, Wayland Institute at 
Beaver Dam, Elroy Seminary, Benton Female Academy, 
Saint Clara Academy at Sinsinawa Mound. Most of 
these receive both sexes, and a few, either boys or girls 
only. They are sustained almost entirely by their tui- 
tion fees; and are, on the main, giving instruction in 
the common English branches to a majority of their 
students. Some of the instructors in them have been 
among our most earnest and useful educators. These 
institutions have been organized mainly by the religious 
denominations, and supported by their patronage. In 
the department of secondary instruction, they are per- 
forming an indispensable service to the state, and are 
supplying the educational needs of the young people 
principally from the rural districts. 

The attention of the state has been directed, the past 
six years, by discussions in the legislature, reports of 
educational officers, and resolutions adopted in teach- 
ers' associations, to the great and increasing need of 
more academies, and more complete academic instruc- 
tion. The proposition to found county academies under 
the control and support of the state, has received a 
favorable consideration from several quarters. To fur- 
nish the academies already in existence with any aid, 
beyond the normal school income which was granted to 
a portion of them for seven years, has never met with 
an affirmative response. The provision in the constitu- 
tion against supplying religious seminaries with money 
from the state treasury, and the growing tendencies of 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 101 

society on this subject, make it certain that these acade- 
mies, as well as the colleges under the control of the 
religious bodies, will not for a long time, if ever, receive 
any pecuniary help from the state. The high schools 
under the state system Avill apparently continue to ab- 
sorb the academies; and more of the secondary instruc- 
tion, and a better quality of it will be furnished by 
them. 

III. DENOMINATIONAL COLLEGES. 

Some of the institutions which have been chartered 
with collegiate privileges either have never organized 
classes in the full college courses of study, or they have 
abandoned these courses, and are now performing purely 
academic work. Carroll College was established by the 
Presbyterians, at Waukesha, in 1846. Prof. J. W. 
Sterling taught the first class that year. Under its 
President, Rev. John A. Savage, the institution reached 
its highest position as a college. For several years it 
has, under its present principal, W. L.^Rankin, limited 
its instruction to the academic studies. The Sinsinavva 
Mound College, a Catholic institution, was founded by 
Father Mazzuchelli in 1818. After a successful career 
of fifteen years, it was closed; and the property came 
into the possession of the Saint Clara Academy, whicli 
was established in its buildings in 1867. St. John's 
College, at Prairie du Chien, originated from an effort 
of the place, in 1866, to secure the first state normal 
school. It was for about two years under the charge of 
Prof. J. T. Lovevvell. It afterwards passed into the 
hands of the Catholics; and it has confined its attention 
almost entirely to academic work. Milwaukee Female 



102 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

College, an unsectarian school, and Wisconsin Female 
College at Fox Lake, under the management of the Con- 
gregationalists, have given only secondary instruction, 
but of an advanced grade. The latter has been changed 
into a seminary for both boys and girls. Wa3dand 
University, at Beaver Dam, established l)y the Baptists 
in 1854, has, within the past two years, been rechart- 
ered as an institute with merely academic facilities. 

Eight of these denominational institutions conduct 
students through the full college studies, though 
they give instruction in the academic pi-eparatory 
courses. Beloit College was organized, in 1817, by the 
Presbyterian and Congregational churches of Wisconsin 
and northern Illinois. In the following year, Rev. 
Joseph Emerson and Rev. J. J. Bushnell were appointed 
professors; and in 1819, Rev. A. L. Chapin was elected 
president, which office he has since held. The estimated 
value of the lands and buildings belonging to the col- 
lege, is $78,400; and the funds and endowments amount 
to $121,281.06. The whole attendance of different stu- 
dents in the college classes from the beginning, has been 
five hundred and fifty-four, of whom two hundred and 
sixteen have graduated at the institution. Galesville 
University was opened under the charge of Rev. Sani- 
muel Fallows, in 1859, and is connected with the Meth- 
odist denomination. Rev. H. Gilliland has been its 
president for several years. The value of its lands, 
buildings, and endowments^ is estimated to be $30,000. 
In 1873, it had graduated eighteen students — ten males 
and eight females. Lawrence University, of Appleton, 
is also a Methodist institution. It was started under a 
liberal donation from Hon. Amos A. Lawrence, of Boston, 



EDUCATION IN" WISCONSIN". 103 

Mass. It was incorporated as an institute in 1847, and 
three years after as a college. The first principal was 
Rev. W. H. Sampson. The presidents have been Rev. 
Edward Cooke, Russell Z. Mason, and Rev. Geo. M. 
Steele. The property and funds are valued at 1157,500. 
Its graduates number one hundred and seventy-three — 
one hundred and fourteen males and fifty-nine females. 
Milton College is under the patronage of the Seventh- 
Day Baptists. The academy, founded in 1844, was 
converted, under the administration of Rev. W. C. 
Whitford, its president, into a college in 1867. The re- 
port of its financial condition shows that the value of 
the lands, buildings, and endowment notes is $46,125. 
It has graduated in its academic courses in all ninety- 
three students, and in its college courses twentj'-nine. 
Northwestern University, a Lutheran College, at Water- 
town, was established in 1865, and has Rev. A. F. 
Ernst for its president. The value of its property and 
funds is reported to be 155,000. Pio Nono College, at 
St. Francis station, south of Milwaukee, was organized, 
in 1871, as a Catholic institution. There are connected 
with it a seminary for the training of teachers, and a 
theological department which was created in 1856. The 
grounds and buildings of the college are worth $50,000; 
and its president from the opening has been Rev. J, 
Salzmann. The Racine college is considered to be a re- 
sult of the formation of the Nashotah House, an Episco- 
pal Theological Seminary, located in 1842, at the 
Nashotah Mission, near Summit. The college was 
founded at Racine in 1852. The presidents have been 
Rev. Roswell Park and Rev. James De Koven; and the 
whole number of students amounts to about fourteen 



104 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

hundred, of whom one hundred and twenty-two have 
graduated. The college owns in property and endow- 
ment about $180,000. Ripon college began its work, in 
1853, under the title of Brockway College, and has al- 
ways been supported by the Congregational churches. 
It assumed its present name in 1861, shortly after Rev. 
W, E. Merriman, the present head of the institution, was 
called to that position. The affairs of the college were 
in an unsettled state until its reorganization in 1863, 
Since that time sixty-eight students have graduated in 
the college courses. The estimated value of the proper- 
ty and funds is |121,410. 



EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. 105 

CHAPTER VI. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 

I. teachers' institutes. 

Public meetings for the discussion of educational 
topics were held in a number of places under the terri- 
torial government; and it is quite possible that some of 
these resembled an institute for the instruction of the 
public school teachers. More attention was then paid 
to this Avork in the southwestern portion of the state 
than elsewhere, and meetings of this kind were called 
at Hazel Green and Platteville. 

During the first ten years under the state organiza- 
tion, the labor performed in the teachers' institutes was 
desultory. It was given principally by the state super- 
intendents, in connection with the meetings of town 
and county associations of teachers. These meetings 
■continued usually from two to six days; though a few 
are reported as lasting two weeks. The latter partook 
of the nature of long-termed institutes, in which regu- 
lar instruction was furnished in the branches of study 
taught in the district schools. Superintendent Ladd 
reports these as being held in 1852, and attended in 
some instances by eighty teachers. Generally these 
gatherings were for the purpose of enabling the teachers 
to compare with each other their views and methods of 
work, and to learn more definitely, by the means of 
lectures and discussions, what were the educational pro- 
gress and needs of the state. 

In 1859, was inaugurated the efficient system of 
8 



106 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

holding institutes, Avhich has been in operation to the 
present time. It grew out of the normal school Avork 
which the state had then organized in the academies, 
high schools, and colleges. By an act of the legislature 
the normal school board was authorized to employ an 
agent or agents who should, in addition to exercising 
supervisory control over the normal work of these insti- 
tutions, conduct teachers' institutes and give normal 
instruction to them. Tliey should do this in coopera- 
tion Avith the state superintendent. A sum sufhcient to 
defra}' the expenses of the agency Avas annually appro- 
priated out of the normal school fund. Dr. Henry 
Barnard was engaged as the general agent. He secured 
the services of Chas. H. Allen and others as assistants, 
and began the Avork Avith great vigor and enthusiasm. 
Some of the institutes held the first ^-ear enrolled as 
many as tAvo hundred and seventy-five, members. A 
number of the most earnest teachers in the state con- 
tributed in various Avays to the success of these insti- 
tutes. The hiAv Avhich provided for county superin- 
tendents in 1861, required each one to organize and 
conduct at least one institute each year. Subsequently, 
Col. J. G. McMynn, Rev. J. B. Pradt, and Prof J. C. 
Pickard, served as agents of the normal regents. In 
1867, a laAv Avas passed stating more definitely the 
duties of the regents in holding institutes. They Avere 
empoAvered to spend annually five thousand dollars to 
meet the expenses of the Avork; and the district boards 
of the common schools Avere authorized to alloAv the 
teachers employed by them to attend these institutes 
Avithout losing any time in their schools. In 1871, 
provisions Avere made for conducting normal institutes 
in such counties as receiA^e the least direct benefit from 



EDUCATIOX IN WISCONSIN. 107 

the normal schools, and they should be held at least four 
consecutive weeks, and a brief course of stud.y should be 
pursued in them. A sum not exceeding!: two thousand 
dollars per annum was appropriated from the state 
treasury to carry out these provisions. The least time 
ill which one of these institutes must l)e held has 
been changed the present year to two weeks. 

The normal regents have eflPected an arrangement by 
which one of the professors in each normal school acts, 
a portion of the year, as a conductor of institutes. 
Robert Graham, of the Oshkosh School, has been 
holding institutes under the board most of the time for 
eight years. Duncan McGregor, of the Platteville 
School, All^ert Salisbury, of the Whitewater School, 
and Jesse B. Thayer, of the River Falls School, have 
been engaged for shorter periods. Last summer and 
fall, they, in connection Avith a few other conductors, 
held six normal institutes and thirty-four others, the 
latter of which varied in length from one to three 
weeks. In some years, over sixty short-termed and 
long-termed institutes have been annually conducted. 

II. STATE teachers' ASSOCIATION. 

This association has been organized nearly twenty- 
three years, and has exerted a strong influence for the 
cause of popular education in the state. The most 
active and intelligent teachers have been its permanent 
supporters, and the localities in which it has held its 
meetings have given it a cordial welcome. It has led to 
the formation of many local associations of teachers, 
which have assisted in awakening a deeper interest on 
the subjects of education. Many attendants upon its 
annual meetings have returned to their quiet work with 



108 



HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 



quickened zeal and broader views of their special callino^. 
The measures adopted by the state, in the past twenty- 
years for the improvement of the educational system, 
have first been brought forward and pressed upon the 
attention of the people by the state association. 

Since 1868, an executive session of the members of* 
the association has generally been held at Madison in 
the holidays of each year. It has furnished an occasion 
for a more careful and thorough discussion of topics 
which were interesting educational workers at the time 
of each meeting. A convention of the county superin- 
tendents has usually been called, since 1862, in connec- 
tion with either the annual or the executive sessions of 
this body. 

.SxATisTiOt^ of the Annual Sessions of the State Teachers' As- 
Kociation. 





Date of 












Opening 
the 


Where 
Held. 


President. 


Secretary. 


§2 


!h 


Session. 








t5a 


1853 


July 12 


Madison - - 


J. 0. McMynn - - 


Walter Van Ness - 


8 


18M 


Aug. 9 


Madison - - 


J. G. McMynn - - 


Walter Van Ness - 


7 


1855 


Aug. 15 


Kacine - - 


J. G. McMynn - - 


I). Y. Kilgorc - - 


150 


1851. 


Aug. 2J 


Bcloit - - - 


J.L. Pickard - - 


U. Y. Kilgore - - 


175 


1857 


Aug. 13 


Waukesha - 


A. C. Spicer - - 


A. A. Grimth - - 


200 


1858 


Aug. 3 


Portage City 


0. M. (Jonoyer- - 


J. W. Strong - - 


2.50 


185(1 


July 26 


Madison - - 


A. Pickett - - - 


J. W. Strong - - 


3.50 


1860 


Aug. 1 


Mihyaukee - 


J. B. Pradt - - - 


J. H. Magotflu - - 


180 


18fil 


July 30 


Fond du Lac 


A. J. Craig - - - 


S. H. Peabody - - 


400 


ISii-Z 


July 29 


Janesville - 


Jonathan Ford 


T. J. Conatty - - 


350 


1863 


July 28 


Kenosha - - 


S. H. Peabody - - 


S. T. Lockwood - 




1864 


Noy. 15 


Milton - - 


C. H. Allen - - - 


A. J. Cheney - - 


'"125 


I860 


Aug. ! 


Whitewater 


W. C. VVhitford - 


J. K Purdy - - - 


275 


1836 


.July 25 


Ripon- - - 


S. D. Gaylord - - 


J. U. Terry - - - 


183 


1867 


Jul'y 23 


La Crosse - 


0. M. Baker - - 


W. U. Parker - - 


325 


18ri8 


July 21 


Milwaukee - 


0. R. Smith - - - 


C. W. Cutler - - 


60O 


1869 


July 6 


Oshkosh- - 


Alexander Kerr - 


S. H. Carpenter - 


2.50 


1870 


July 12 


Wntertovyn - 


W. D. Parker - - 


W. A. De LaMatyr 


.500 


1871 


July 11 


Madison - - 


Robert Graham - 


A. Earthman - - 


248 


187:e 


July 9 


Madison - - 


Samuel Shaw - - 


A. Earthman - - 


215 


1873 


July 8 


Sparta - - 


D. McGregor* - - 


M. T. Park- - - 


225 


1874 


July 15 


Madison - - 


B. M. Reynolds - 


Jas. M. Rait - - 




1875 


July x8 


Eau Claire - 


J. tj,. Emery - - 


A. J. llutton - - 


"iss 



* J. K. Purdy was elected President at the previous session, but died dur- 
ing tlie year. Prof. McGregor occupied the position as the first Vice-President. 



EDUCATION IN -WISCONSIN. 109 

III. JOURNAL OF EDUCATION. 

The first volume of an educational periodical, under 
the name of the Wisconsin Educational Journal, was 
published monthly, in 1855, by Hon. James Sutherland, 
at Janesville. It was edited by Geo. S. Dodge, and at 
the close of the first year, it was transferred to the State 
Teachers' Association, and its name was changed to 
Wisconsin Journal of Education. At that time it be- 
came the organ of the association, which appointed an 
editorial committee, and Col. J. G. McMynn was made the 
resident editor, and remained in that position for nearly 
two years. He was succeeded by Hon. A. J. Craig, who 
had the charge for three years. In 1860, Rev. J. B. 
Pradt was chosen the editor, and continued as such un- 
til 1865, when the periodical was discontinued. In the 
following year. Prof. W. H. Peck, of Mineral Point, re- 
sumed its publication as a private enterprise, which he 
conducted about two years. In the mean time, an 
association of teachers in Milwaukee started The School 
Monthly, with Prof. S. D. Gaylord as the managing editor. 
It became the organ of the state association, and was 
published about three years. The original Journal of 
Education was again issued, in 1870, by the state super- 
intendent. Rev. Samuel Fallows, and the assistant state 
superintendent, Rev. J. B. Pradt, who became the editors 
and proprietors. Hon. Edward Searing, upon becoming 
state superintendent, succeeded Mr. Fallows as one of 
the editors and proprietors; and he with Mr. Pradt still 
continues its publication. 

In 1856, the Journal became also the organ of the 
state department of public instruction, by reason of the 
appropriation which the legislature had granted to fur- 



110 HISTORICAL SKETCH. 

iiisli a copy of it for eacli school district. It was sus- 
pended in 1865, mainly because this appropriation Avas 
withdrawn the year previous. By a law of 1871, the 
clerk of each school district was authorized to subscribe 
annuall}' for one copy of the Journal, and the subscrip- 
tion should be paid by the district. Besides the annual 
reports, it has alwa3's been the principal source of com- 
munication between the head of the educational system 
and the teachers and school officers of the state. 



APPENDIX. 



HISTOEICAL SKETCH 



OF THE 



STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 

OF WISCONSIN. 



BY PROF. J. D. BUTLER, LL. D. 



Wisconsin became a state in 1848, and its Historical 
Society, which was born the next year, has grown with 
its growth and strengthened with its strength. 

Yet at the close of five years its library amounted to 
no more than fifty volumes. Its true birth was in 
1854, Avhen it was first subsidized by the state. The 
first grant was only $500 a year. But legislative liber- 
ality has annually increased. 

The local habitation of the society, in 1855, was a 
room fifteen feet square in the basement of a church. 
Next year it passed into on apartment 60 by 45 feet, 
and thence in 1866 into the south wing of the capitol. 
Its quarters there are three halls sixty feet in length, 
and so lofty as to be girdled with galleries at mid- 
height, doubling the shelf room. The shelves in the 
upper story are eight hundred. Besides, it has two 



114 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

towers, each of three stories, wliich are used for cabi- 
nets, one of maps, and the other of prehistoric antiques. 
But the caskets are too narrow for the jewels, and the 
great need now is a separate and fire-proof edifice, where 
prospective accumulations will find ample room and 
verge enough. 

LIBRARY. 

The library, since 1851, has expanded from 50 books 
to 33,319 bound volumes in 1876, besides a still larger 
number of pamphlets. The newspapers amount to 
2,167 volumes, sixtj'-tvvo of them dating from the sev- 
enteenth century. In 1875, the increment was 2,851 
volumes — a little over half of them by purchase. 

The catalogue — three octavos, the third just pub- 
lished — fills 1,711 pages. 

The galleries are hung with ninety-nine oil paintings 
of persons notable in state annals. 

The prehistoric cabinet includes about ten thousand 
relics of the stone age, and is said to show moi'e diversi- 
fied products, both of the palaeolithic and neolithic pe- 
riods than almost any other. But its chief glory is the 
handiwork of the Copper era — an era scarcely trace- 
able in Europe — the largest celts, the most various 
styles of spear and knife — the most unmistakable spe- 
cimens of unaUoi/ed copper implements, and those in 
greater numbers than are known to be extant in all 
other cabinets whatever. 

The largest single donation was procured through 
the writer of this article from the widow of Otto Tank, 
a Wisconsin pioneer. It amounted to more than 5,000 
volumes of books and i)aniphlets, and had formed the 



THE STATE HISTOEICAL SOCIETY. 115 

library of her father, a clergyman at Zeist in Holland. 
It tills an alcove. 

The library halls are in the State Capitol, which is so 
situated as to be the principal thoroughfare of school 
children and of business men, all business houses facing 
its park, and sixteen streets converging in it. It is 
open for consultation six hours daily and six days in 
the week, as well as evenings when the legislature is in 
session. 

PUBLICATIONS. 

Besides its catalogue, the society has printed seven 
octavo volumes of collections. Their contents, in addi- 
tion to its reports and proceedings, are journals of Jesuit 
missionaries, and of travelers or military officers almost 
as ancient, — annals of towns and counties as well as of 
pioneering before towns or counties were known, — pa- 
pers on Indian legends, v/ars,— migrations,— aboriginal 
names, personal and geographical, and languages, — an- 
nual addresses before the society, — articles on educa- 
tion, boundaries, lead mining, — man-shaped mounds, 
and other prehistoric antiquities, — rare documents from 
Canadian and other archives, — biographies of repre- 
sentative citizens in all walks of life, etc., etc. 

SOURCES OF SUCCESS. 

The Historical Society has developed into proportions 
which render it one of the chief attractions of the capi- 
tal, and a matter of pride to every citizen of the state. 
This gratifying progress is chiefly traceable to three 
sources: 

First, its Secretary, Lyman C. Draper. Mr. D. may 
be called the perpetual secretary. His name appears 



116 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

signed to every annual report from first to last, now 
these twenty-two j^ars. He has also been perpetually 
at work, not only as secretary, but as the factotum of 
the association. He has raised money for it not only at 
home, but from the most unlooked for sources abroad. 
He has found rare and curious documents which rich 
antiquarians had failed to find, and often procured them 
for his treasury without money and without price. He 
is understood to have bequeathed his own collection' 
which is without an equal in MSS. illustrative of north- 
western annals, to the society, that having served it 
through life, he ma}^ continue to serve it after death. 

One specimen of Mr. Draper's success in raising 
money is the so called hiitding fund. He first set apart 
for this end small fees and gifts, saying they should ac- 
cumulate by interest and begging till it amounted to 
$10,000. The project was laughed at even by those 
who pitying!}' gave it some trifle. But when last heard 
from, that fund amounted to more than 14,000, besides 
a square mile of land worth perhaps as much inore. 

The second cause of rapid expansion in the Historical 
Society has been hgislaflre Jiheralifij. 

This bounty, beginning twenty-two years ago with a 
grant of -f 500, has gradually grown ever since. It now 
amounts to $8,000 a year, besides library rooms, warm- 
ing, lighting, carpeting, shelving, and especially print- 
ing and sometimes binding, incidentals which certainly 
double the efficiency of the society, and perhaps the cost 
of its support. 

The tliird influence to which the advancement of the 
Historical Society is to be ascribed, may be the co- 
operation of inuUitndinous laborers. The seven vol- 



THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 117 

umes of its collections consist in original articles by 
more than a hundred writers, each of whom may have 
contributed what no one else could l)estow. 

The books and manuscripts in the library have come 
from a still larger list of donors. A list- — by no means 
complete— of the persons from whom the prehistoric 
stone and copper curiosities have been gathered — in- 
cludes the names of four hundred and forty-six indi- 
viduals. 

The bibliothecal treasury is now so large that it 
grows of itself — attracting to its shelves whatever it 
needs. And it must more and more. Passing a cairn 
in the high Alps, I was told by my guide that it had 
been growing time out of mind, as every wayfarer took 
pains to add a stone to the pile heaped where a lady had 
perished in a mountain storm. There Avas snow all 
around the monument, but I could not pass without 
throwing on it a snowball. A little further on discov- 
ering a stone where a torrent had cut through the 
snow, I returned and added my mite to the mass. 

In a similar way, — and in a thousand other ways, 
the historical library must develop — till long before 
our next Centennial it shall be fitly described in words 
which no man can mend, as 

" Made porous to receive 
And drink the liquid light, firm to retain 
Her gathered beams, great palace now of light, 
Whither as to a fountain countless stars, 
Repairing, in their golden urns, draw light." 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 



WISCONSIN ACADEMY 

OF 

SCIENCES, ARTS, AND LETTERS. 



BY JOHN E. DAVIES, A. M., M. D., 

Frofessor of Pfii/sics in the I'liirersity of Wisconsin, and General Secre- 
tary of the Academy. 



This association, the objects of which may be regarded 
as ill a certain degree educational, was organized by a 
convention of scientitic, literary, and other prominent 
men of the state of Wisconsin, which met for this pur- 
pose in the State Agricultural Rooms at Madison, on 
the 16th of February, 1870. The convention was pre- 
sided over by the Hon. W. P. Lynde, of Milwaukee, and 
subsequently by Ex-Gov. Nelson Dewey, of Cassville. 

On motion of Judge J. G. Knapp, of Madison, the 
following resolution was unanimously adopted b}" the 
convention : 

Resohedj That we do organize an association under 
the ilame of " The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, 
Arts, and Letters." 



120 HISTOEICA.L SKETCH OF WISCONSIN" 

The specific objects of the Academy Avere then stated 
by Dr. J, W. Hoyt, at that time secretary of the State 
Agricultural Society, and subsequently the first presi- 
dent of the Academy for six years, to be, among others: 

1. Researches and investigations in the various de- 
partments of the material, metaphysical, ethical, ethno- 
logical and social sciences, 

2. A progressive and thorough scientific survey of the 
state, with a view to determine its mineral, agricultural 
and other resources. 

3. The advancement of the useful arts, through the 
applications of science, and the encouragement of ori- 
ginal invention. 

4. The encouragement of the fine arts, by means of 
honors and prizes awarded to artists for original works 
of superior merit. 

5. The formation of scientific, economical and art 
museums. 

6. The encouragement of philological and historical 
researches, the collection aiid preservation of historic 
records, and the formation of a general librar3\ 

7. The diffusion of knowledge by the publication of 
original contributions to science, literature and the arts. 

To carry out these objects of the organization it was 
deemed advisable to form separate departments as fol- 
lows: 

1. The department of the social and political sciences, 
embracing jurisprudence, political economy, education, 
public health, and social economy generally. 

2. The department of the natural sciences, embracing 
mathematics, physics, chemistry, natural history and 
physiology. 



ACADEMY OF SCIESTCES, ARTS, AND LETTERS. 121 

3. The department of the arts, embracing the mechanic 
arts and the fine arts. 

4. The department of letters, embracing language, 
literature, history. 

To these were afterwards added: 

5. The department of speculative philosophy. 

6. The department of the fine arts; the third de- 
partment being hereafter limited to the mechanic arts 
and useful inventions. 

The first meetings of the Academy were held in the 
rooms of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society; but 
subsequently the room adjoining that of the secretary 
of that society was assigned by the governor lor the 
uses of the Academy of Sciences, and by his order ad- 
ditional cases were erected there for the accommoda- 
tion of its museum and library, and a desk was pro- 
vided for its secretary. 

Although the attendance at, and apparent increase of 
interest in the meetings of the Acadeni}', have since 
very largely increased, the number and intelligence of 
those who attended its first meetings were such as to 
indicate that an organization of this character was a 
recognized need in the state, and would be welcomed 
with enthusiasm. The following language, used by 
those who called the convention at which the Academy 
of Sciences was organized, sufficiently indicated this; 

"An institution of the kind in question would bring 
into more intimate relations many men, who, though 
already more or less engaged in original studies and in- 
vestigations of various kinds,faccomplish less than they 
would had they frequent association with each other, a 



122 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF WISCONSIN 

common storehouse into which to bring their material 
collections, and some proper medium through which 
to publish the approved results of their scientific la- 
bors to the world. 

" It would awaken a scientific spirit in all enquiring^ 
minds, and thus lead to a more fruitful intellectual ac- 
tivity among the people at large and to a wider diffusion 
of useful knowledge. 

" Through a scientific and economical exploration of 
the state, to which it would early lead — and which it 
might with great advantage direct — as well as through 
the published results of independeut investigations, 
conducted by its members, it would do much towards 
bringing the many natural advantages of our state to 
the notice of foreign populations, and especially to cap- 
italists, both at home and abroad; thus promoting the 
more rapid and more economical development of our 
material resources. 

" It would result in new and important applications 
of science to the practical arts, and thus advance the 
industry of the country. 

" It would associate artists of every class, establish 
higher standards for the execution of works of art, and 
lead to the formation of an art museum. 

"It would bring together men of letters and promote 
advancement in every department of language, literature 
and philosoph.y. 

" It would also tend to promote the literary and aesthe- 
tic culture of the people, and by the quickening, invig- 
orating, and elevating influence it would exert upon 
all our higher educational institutions, largely contribute 
to the social progress of the state, and the earlier insure 



ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ARTS, AND LETTERS. 123 

to Wisconsin an advanced position among the most en- 
lightened conimnnities of the workh 

" We fnrther believe that the time has now come, 
when, with proper effort on the part of those who may 
be reasonably expected to aid in so important an enter- 
l^rise, the fonndations may be laid for an institution that 
shall he of great practical utility and a lasting honor to 
the state/' 

At the first meeting of the Academy the following 
gentlemen were elected as its officers for the first three 
years: 

President —Dr. J. W. Uoyt, Madison. 

Vice Presiden's — Dr. P. E. Hoy, Ricine; Rt. Rev. W. E. Abmitagk 
Milwaukee; Ex-3ov. Nelson Dewey, Cassville; Rev. Dr. A. L. Ciiapin 
Beloit. 

General Secretary — Dr. I. A. Lapham, Milwaukee. 

Treasurer — G^o. P. Delapl.mne, Esq., Midistn. 

Director of the Museum — William Dudley, Esq., Madison. 

Librarian —'Aon. J. G. Knapp, Madison. 

In 1872, the Academy published its first volume of 
*' Transactions," which contained in the various depart- 
ments the papers enumerated in the following list: 

REPORT or TUE PRESIDENT. 

Embracing — 

1. Reasons for the organization of the Academy, with a record of what had 

previously been done by, and in behalf of, Wisconsin in the Sciences* 
in the Arts, and in Letters. 

2. General Plan of the Academy. 

3. What the Academy has done already. 

papers READ BEFORE THE ACADEMY IN 1870 AND 1872. 

Department of the Social and Political Sciences. 

1. The Relation of Labor and Capital. By A. L. Chapin, D. D., LL.D., 

President of Beloit College. 

2. The German Sunday. By Right Rev. W, E. Armitage, D. D., Protestant 

Episcopa Bishop of Wisconsin. 



124 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF WISCONSIN 

3. Social Science and Woman Suft'rage. By Rev. Chiarles Caverno, A. M. 

4. The Common Jail System of the Country. By Hon. S. D. Hastings, Sec- 

retary of the State Board of Charities. 

Department of the Natural Bcitnces. 

5. Deep Water Fauna of Lake Michigan. By P. R. Hoy, M. D. 

6. On the Classification of Plants. By I. A. Lapham, LL.D. 

7. Insects Injurious to Agriculture — Aphides. By P. R. Hoy, M. D. 

8. Conifeni> of the Rocky Mountains and their Adaptation to. the Soil and 

Climate of Wisconsin. By J. G. Knapp, Esq. 
{>. Report on the Geology of the Region about DeviFs Lake. By Prof. 
James H. Eaton, Ph. D. 

10. On the Age of the Quartzites, Schists and Conglomerates of Sauk coun- 

ty. By Prof. Roland Irving, E. M. 

11. Suggestions as to a Basis for the Gradation of the Vertebrata. By Prof, 

T. C. Chamberlin. 
13. Ancient Lakes of Wisconsin. By J. G. Knajjp, Esq. 

13. On the Mineral Well at Waterloo, Wis. By Rev. A. O. Wright, A. M. 

14. On Potentials, and their Application in Physical Science. By Prof. John 

E. Davies, M. D. 

Department of the Arts. 

15. The Production of Sulphide of Mercury by a New Process, and its Use in 

Photography. By W. H. Sherman, Esq. 

Department of Letters. 

16. The Rural Population of England as Classified in Domesday Book. By 

Prof. William F. Allen, A. M. 

17. On the Place of the Indian Languages in the Study of Ethnology. By 

Prof. John B. Feuling, Ph. D. 

PROCEEDINGS. 

1, Proceedings of the Convention called to organize the Academy. 
3. First meeting of the Academy, February 16, 1870. 

3. First meeting of the General Council. 

4. Second meeting of the Academy, July, 1870. 

5. Third meeting of the Academy, September, 1870. 

6. First annual meeting of the Academy, February, 1871. 

7. Fifth .Meeting of the Academy, July, 1871. 

8. Sixth meeting of the Academy, September, 1871. 

9. Second annual meeting of the Academy, February, 1871. 

As the annual members of the Academy, besides bear- 
ing all the expenses incident to their respective inves- 
tigations and the preparation of their papers, pay also 



ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ARTS, AND LETTERS. 125 

an annual^ as well as an admission fee, into the general 
fiind of the Academy, to meet necessary current ex- 
penses, the legislature of Wisconsin Avas petitioned to 
aid in their work, some of which has probably been of 
direct utilit}' to the state, by assuming the cost of pub- 
lishing hiennially such papers as the publishing com- 
mittee of the Academy should deem worthy of insertion 
in their volume of '' Transactions." 

By this generous act of the legislature, Vol. II, for 
1873-4, has already been published; and Vol. Ill is now 
in the hands of the printer. 

Vol. II contains the following: 

LISTS OF OrnCERS AND MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMY. 
CHARTER OF THE ACADEMY. 
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 

Embracing — 

1. General condition. 

2. Condition and Progress of the several Departments. 

3. The Library. 

4. The Scientific Miisenm. 

5. Reports of the Treasurer. 

6. Results of Work done, as shown by the Titles and Papers read before the 

Academy. 

TITLES OF PAPERS. 

Bepartment of Siieculaiive Philosophy. 

1. The Metaphysical Basis of Science. By Prof. S. H. Carpenter, LL.D. 

2. Vexed Questions in Ethics. By Rev. F. M. Holland, A. M. 

3. The Philosophy of Evolution. By Prof. S. H. Carpenter, LL.D. 

Department of the Social and Political Sciences. 

4. Population and Sustenance. By Dr. G. M. Steele, D. D. 

5. Records of Marriages. By Rev. F. M. Holland, A. M. 

6. Eft'ect of the Duty on Imports on the Value of Gold. By John Y. Smith, 

Esq. 

7. Requisites to a Reform of the Civil Service of the United States. By 

John W. Hoyt, A. M., M. D. 

8. Natural History as a Branch of Elementary Education. By P. R. 

Hoy, M. D. 



126 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF WISCOJSTSIN" 

I)ei)artment of the Xatural Sciences. 

9. On some Points in the Geology of Northern Wisconsin. By Prof. Ro- 
land Irving, A. M., M. E. 

10. Some of the Peculiarities of the Fauna of Racine. By P. R. Hoy, 

M. D. 

11. Relation of the Sandstones, Conglomerates and Limestones of Baraboo 

Valley to each other and to the Azoic Quartzites. By Prof. James H. 
Eaton, Ph. D. (Illustrated.) 

12. Note on the Absorption of Ar.senic by the Human Liver. By Prof. W. 

W. Daniells, M. S. 

13. Some Evidences bearing upon the Method of the Upheaval of the Qunrt- 

zites of Sauk and Columbia Counties. By Prof. T. C. Chamberlin, A. 
M. (Illustrated.) 

14. On Fluctuations in I>evel of the Quartzites of Sauk and Columbia coun- 

ties By Prof. T. C. Chamberlin, A. M. (Illustrated.) 

15. On a Hand Specimen showing the exact Junction of the Primordial 

Sandstones and Huronian Schists. By Prof. Roland Irving, A. M., 
M. E. 

16. On the Occurrence of Gold and Silver in Minute Quantities in Quartz 

from Clark County. By Prof. Roland Irving, A. M., M. E. 

DejHirtment of the Arts. 

17. Ou the Wisconsin River Improvement. By Prof. W. J. L. N icoderaus, 

A. M., C. E. 

18. On the Strength of Materials as applied to Engineering. By John 

Nader, Ass't U. S. Engineer. 

19. Railway Gauges. By Prof. W. J. L. Nicodemus, A M., C. E. 

Department of Letters. 

20. The Etymology of the word Church. By Prof. John B. Feuling, Ph. D. 

21. History of the Science of Hydraulic?. By Prof. W. J. L. Nicodemus 

A.M., C E. 

22. The Naming of America. By Prof. J. D. Butler, LL D. 

23. The Rural Classes of England in the 13th Century. By Prof. W. F. 

Allen, A. M. 
21. Ranks and Classes among the Anglo-Saxons. By Prof. W. F. Allen, 
A.M. 

PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY. 
SKETCH OF THE MFE AND CHARACTER OF RT. REV. BISHOP W. E. ARMITAGE, 

Late Vice President for the Department of the Social and Political Sci- 



ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ARTS, AND LETTERS. 127 

The officers of the Academy elected in 1876 were, for 

President — P. R. IIoj-, M. D., Racine. 

General Secretary — John E. Davies, A. M., M. D., Madison. 

Viee-P resident for Department of Speculative Philosophy — '^. II. Car- 
penter, LL. D., Madison. 

Vice President for Department of Natural Science — Vrof. T. C. Cham- 
berlin, Beloit. 

Vice President for Department of Social and Political Science — Rev 
Dr. G. M. Steele, Appleton. 

Vice President for Department of Mechanic Arts — Won. J.I. Case, 
Racine. 

Vice President for Bepartmenl of Letter's.- Hay. Dr. A. L. Chapin, 
Beloit. 

Vice President for Department of Fine Arts. — Dr. J. W. Iloyt, 
Madison. 

Treasurer— G. P. Delaplaine, Esq., Madison. 

Director of Museum — E. T. Sweet, M S., Sun Prairie. 

Librarian— C. N. Gregory, A. M., Madison. 

Most of the papers hitherto published by members of 
the Academy have been prepared under the stress of 
other laborious duties, and hence, frequently lack the 
degree of completeness which their authors desire. It 
has only been in consequence of their clear perception 
that, while generally unremunerated and even unrecog- 
nized, the abstract sciences nevertheless stand first in 
importance as regards the ultimate welfare of a people, 
that they have consented at all to endeavor through 
these papers to inculcate sound principles of political 
economy, ethics, historical interpretation, and science in 
general. This they have done, however, in all the de- 
partments, working solely in the interests of truth, with- 
out any regard to immediate practical results, or any 
prospect of pecuniary reward, immediate or remote. In 
this way, always, will the best results in science be at- 
tained. 

Madison, May 12, 1876. 



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